Sunny Hill Nursing Home Implements Enhanced Infection Control and Safety Measures

Will County Public Health & Safety Committee Meeting | April 2, 2026

Article Summary: Sunny Hill Nursing Home has rolled out “enhanced barrier precautions” to prevent the spread of multi-drug resistant organisms, updated its pain management protocols, and added Narcan to its emergency carts to protect its fragile elderly population.

Sunny Hill Nursing Home Key Points:

• The facility implemented new “enhanced barrier precautions” requiring staff to gown and garb when treating residents with certain high-risk medical devices or wounds.

• Narcan has been added to all nine of the facility’s Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and nursing medication carts.

• A newly approved Vigilar security system is currently in the installation phase to prevent inadvertent entry into the facility.

• Financially, February 2026 revenues sat at 16.02% against a budgeted expectation of 25%, while expenses were under budget at 19.82%.

The Will County Board Public Health and Safety Committee on Thursday, April 2, 2026, reviewed sweeping operational updates at the Sunny Hill Nursing Home, ranging from advanced infection control measures to the introduction of overdose reversal drugs on the facility’s emergency carts.

Administrator Maggie McDowell detailed the facility’s transition to “enhanced barrier precautions,” a new standard heavily scrutinized by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) designed to curb the transmission of multi-drug resistant organisms (MDROs).

“When staff routinely go in to undertake and render care to the resident, if they don’t gown and garb in protective equipment, then there’s the chance that they come out of that room, they go in the next room, that now you’re potentially exposing another resident,” McDowell explained.

The new precautions are an adjunct to standard contact and droplet protocols and are specifically utilized for residents with G-tubes, open wounds, urinary tract infections, or indwelling catheters, who are at a much higher risk of infection. McDowell reported that the facility has already seen positive effects from the initiative.

The facility has also overhauled its pain management program in response to new IDPH regulations passed down regarding the reassessment of residents utilizing immediate-release medications for severe pain. As part of this update, and recognizing the vulnerability of their population, Sunny Hill has proactively placed Narcan on all nursing medication carts and alongside the facility’s nine Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs).

“Our elderly are very fragile, very frail, in case of a potential overdose, if that were to happen, that we are prepared in that event,” McDowell stated.

The nursing home recently underwent two major state surveys, including a rigorous four-day IDPH survey involving seven surveyors, followed by life safety and emergency preparedness inspections. McDowell noted that the facility performed well during the evaluations.

On the security front, McDowell confirmed that the newly approved Vigilar security equipment has arrived. The facility held a kickoff call with the county’s IT department, and installation is expected to begin in the coming weeks to prevent unauthorized access to the building.

According to the agenda packet provided to the committee, Sunny Hill maintained an average daily census of 146 residents in February 2026, drawing heavily from Joliet (48 residents), New Lenox (12), Lockport (13), and Mokena (12). Financially, the facility reported February revenues at 16.02% of anticipated budgeted revenues—under the 25% target—while expenses remained tightly controlled at 19.82% of the anticipated budget.