Cold Spring Hills Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation suffered 15 fatalities from Covid-19 as of June 29, 2020, per state records, though a New York Post report suggests that number is significantly undercounted. The nursing home also received 56 citations finding it violated public health code between 2016 and 2020, according to health records accessed on June 30, 2020; one such citation concerned infection control procedures. The facility has also received fines totaling $24,000 after findings that it violated health code provisions concerning quality of care, staff mistreatment of residents, and accidents. The Woodbury nursing home’s citations resulted from a total of 1 surveys by state inspectors. The violations they describe include the following:
1. The nursing home did not maintain an adequate infection prevention and control program. Section 483.80 of the Federal Code stipulates that nursing homes must “establish and maintain an infection prevention and control program” in order to provide residents with a safe and sanitary environment. An October 2018 citation found that Cold Spring Hills Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation failed to ensure such. The citation states specifically that infection control protocols were broken during a resident’s pressure ulcer wound change: a Registered Nurse was observed cleansing the wound without changing her gloves and washing her hands in between certain procedures to prevent contamination. In two separate instances, an inspector also observed a resident with their Foley Catheter collection bag resting on the facility’s floor, in contravention of infection control protocols. A plan of correction undertaken by the facility included the counseling of relevant staff.
2. The nursing home did not take adequate measures to prevent medication errors. Section 483.45 of the Federal Code stipulates that nursing homes must ensure residents “are free of any significant medication errors.” An October 2019 citation found that Cold Spring Hills Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation did not ensure such for one resident. The citation states specifically that while the resident had a redacted diagnosis, the facility had “no documented evidence that the resident received” medications for their condition, and there was also no documented evidence that the resident’s physician had been notified that the medications were unavailable. In an interview, the facility’s Director of Nursing Services said that the medication was unavailable for one of two reasons, either because “either because it was entered in the system too late to receive from the pharmacy or the medication was not available in the emergency supply.” A plan of correction undertaken by the facility included the counseling of Licensed Nurses who did not inform the physician that the medications were unavailable.
3. The nursing home did not provide residents a sufficiently high quality of care. Section 483.25 of the Federal Code states that nursing homes must ensure residents receive a quality of treatment of services, in accordance with professional standards and their individual care plans, that allows them to attain their highest practicable well-being. A January 2020 citation found that Cold Spring Hills Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation did not ensure this for one resident. The citation states specifically that the resident was observed “with an open Purpura to the right arm,” but without any documented evidence that the wound was thoroughly assessed. A plan of correction implemented by the facility included the assessment of the wound and the in-servicing 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.
