(914) 220-1086Cayuga Nursing and Rehabilitation Center has received 96 citations for violations of public health code between 2016 and 2020, according to New York State Department of Health records accessed on August 19, 2020. The facility has also received fines totaling $36,000 in connection to findings that it violated health code provisions concerning resident rights, accidents, quality of care, pressure ulcers, food standards, administrative practices, and more. The Ithaca nursing home’s citations resulted from a total of four surveys by state inspectors. The deficiencies they describe include the following:
1. The nursing home did not employ adequate infection-control procedures. Section 483.80 of the Federal Code stipulates that nursing homes must create and maintain an infection control program so as to stave off the development and transmission of disease. A June 2019 citation found that Cayuga Nursing and Rehabilitation Center did not ensure such. The citation describes the facility’s staff’s failure to “follow proper infection control technique during a skin treatment observation,” specifically describing failures to wipe down equipment, perform hand hygiene, and use proper equipment. The equipment goes on to state that the facility did not employ proper infection control technique while administering medication to seven residents, specifically describing a nurse who did not perform hand hygiene between each resident’s medication administration. A plan of correction undertaken by the facility included the re-education of the nurse in question.
2. The nursing home did not employ adequate measures to care for pressure ulcers. Under Section 483.25 of the Federal Code, nursing homes are required to provide residents with necessary treatment and services to prevent and/or heal pressure ulcers. A December 2017 citation found that Cayuga Nursing and Rehabilitation Center did not ensure such for one resident. The citation specifically describes a resident who was identified on admission as having a Stage II pressure ulcer, but “was not re-assessed timely and she was not provided with pressure relief interventions as planned to promote healing.” A plan of correction undertaken by the facility included the education of relevant staff and the revision of the resident’s plan of care.
3. The nursing home did not employ adequate accident-prevention measures. Under Section 483.25 of the Federal Code, nursing homes are required to ensure resident environments are kept as free as possible of accident hazards, and that residents are provided with adequate supervision to prevent accidents. A December 2017 citation found that Cayuga Nursing and Rehabilitation Center failed to ensure such for one resident. The citation specifically describes a resident who “had a personal alarm in place to prevent falls and the alarm was not consistently implemented as planned.” The alarm was supposed to be attached while the resident was in bed, according to the citation, and suffered a fall in an instance when he did not have the alarm attached. The citation states further that a report of the fall “did not identify why the resident did not have his personal alarm in place at the time of the fall.” A plan of correction undertaken by the facility included the revision of the resident’s care plan and the counseling and education of relevant staff.
The attorneys at the Law Offices of Thomas L. Gallivan, PLLC work diligently to protect the rights of nursing home residents. Please contact us to discuss in the event you have a potential case involving neglect or abuse.
