(914) 220-1086Carolyn Williams, a former certified nurse’s aide (C.N.A.) at Meadowbrook Care Center in Freeport, NY was recently prosecuted by the Medicaid Fraud Unit of the NYS Attorney General for endangering the welfare of an elderly person. While working at Meadowbrook Care Center, Ms. Williams allegedly attempted a Hoyer transfer without assistance any other nursing home personnel. The Hoyer lift fell upon the resident who received stitches to treat facial lacerations. Thankfully the resident was not more seriously injured. We have seen many cases where transfers gone awry have caused falls, fractures, and brain injuries. Making matters worse, however, Ms. Williams also apparently falsified the CNA accountability record (part of the nursing home chart) to conceal the fact that she attempted the transfer on her own.
As a result of the Medicaid Fraud Unit prosecution, Ms. Williams has been sentenced to a one-year conditional discharge with special conditions of surrendering her CNA certificate and refraining from caring for any incompetent person whether due to age, physical disability, or mental disease or defect.
We have handled many nursing home cases where records have been falsified. These types of entries call into question the integrity of the nursing home record as a whole, as well as the integrity of the staff members who made the entries. Further, it is clear that such entries would incite a jury should the case be tried.
Long-Term-Care Community Coalition Enforcement Archives, Spring 2011.
