Some nice staff but often hear concerns about call buttons unanswered. Dad had to go to SNF Rehab after a bad fall breaking his wrist in 3 places and cardiac stint. Reading reviews and ratings always seem the same, websites make the place look clean and nice. But when he got there it was dated, old furniture, a "gym" with old rehab equipment. And, they crammed at least 2 beds in a room designed for one bed. The nurses were too busy at their med carts and the aides were often disrespectful and uncaring.
I agree that the above scenario is totally unacceptable. I would document it and have a meeting with the DON and the director of the facility. And ask them why my next call shouldn't be to the Joint Commission. I said those words once, very quietly, in a care meeting. My mother has been getting phenomenal care ever since. It may be a coincidence. thanks to Pam S. for teaching them to me.
The threat to call the proper authorities may or may not be effective. You should check what state agency surveys the facility in your state. It will be the agency that issues the facility's license, which is posted in the lobby. (If you can't find it, ask.) This is the agency to call if you experience a problem, and you would be entirely justified to call them NOW. They can determine if this happened too long in the past for them to investigate. What you experienced was entirely wrong. What will happen when you call is they will take all relevant information and ask for your name and contact info so that they can call you back with their findings. They will send a surveyor out to the facility to investigate, within 48 hrs in many states, and issue citations if the complaint is substantiated. This is not what the administrative staff at any facility wants to go through, and if a family member does mention the possibility of calling "the state", I'm sure they would be more attentive and take your concern more seriously. But I hope that this new nursing home is willing to listen to you and will communicate changes in your mother's condition without you having to find them on your own. I have always considered families and staff as a "partnership" and most facilities do a much better job than you would gather from reading the responses above. We will never be as good as home, but many do have a mostly compassionate, if imperfect, staff.
May god bless you.