• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
(914) 220-1086

Law Offices of Thomas L. Gallivan, PLLC

Just another WordPress site

  • Home
  • About
    • Attorney Profiles
      • Daniel F. Gallivan
      • Thomas L. Gallivan
      • James C. Freeman
      • Andrew J. Gilbride
    • Testimonials
  • Practice Areas
    • Personal Injury
      • Car Accident Lawyers
      • Pedestrian Accident Lawyers
      • Slip & Fall Lawyers
      • Truck Accident Lawyers
      • Wrongful Death Lawyers
      • Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
      • Uber Accident Lawyers
    • Nursing Home Abuse
      • Bedsores and Pressure Ulcers
      • Bruises and Cuts
      • Elopement
      • Falls & Broken Bones
      • Group Home Abuse
      • Infections
      • Malnutrition
      • Physical Abuse
    • Criminal Defense
    • Medical Malpractice
  • Blog
  • Resources
    • Videos
    • Notable Cases
  • Contact Us
  • Home
  • About
    • Attorney Profiles
      • Daniel F. Gallivan
      • Thomas L. Gallivan
      • James C. Freeman
      • Andrew J. Gilbride
    • Testimonials
  • Practice Areas
    • Personal Injury
      • Car Accident Lawyers
      • Pedestrian Accident Lawyers
      • Slip & Fall Lawyers
      • Truck Accident Lawyers
      • Wrongful Death Lawyers
      • Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
      • Uber Accident Lawyers
    • Nursing Home Abuse
      • Bedsores and Pressure Ulcers
      • Bruises and Cuts
      • Elopement
      • Falls & Broken Bones
      • Group Home Abuse
      • Infections
      • Malnutrition
      • Physical Abuse
    • Criminal Defense
    • Medical Malpractice
  • Blog
  • Resources
    • Videos
    • Notable Cases
  • Contact Us
Call
Contact
Blog
Home  /  Nursing Home Abuse  /  DOH Officials: Nursing Home Failed to Take Appropriate Action against Employee who Allegedly Stole Patients’ Medications

DOH Officials: Nursing Home Failed to Take Appropriate Action against Employee who Allegedly Stole Patients’ Medications

by Law Offices of Thomas L. Gallivan, PLLC 22 May2014

In November 2013, the NYS DOH cited Rosewood Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, an 80-bed nursing home located in Rensselaer, New York, for failing to take appropriate actions against a licensed practical nurse who may have diverted narcotics from patients for her own personal use. The investigation concluded that the problem was “widespread” and place residents in “immediate jeopardy.”

The DOH report claims that a licensed practical nurse (LPN) may have stolen pain medication in September 2013 from a resident suffering from a broken femur and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). While working the night shift, a nursing supervisor observed that the LPN failed to sign a form indicating that she had administered hydrocodone and oxycodone medication to a patient. When the supervisor question the LPN as to why she hadn’t done so, the LPN stated that she would do it later. When the LPN returned from her break, the supervisor noticed that the woman’s nose was running and kept “sniffing inward,” a potential sign that the LPN had crushed up pills and snorted them. In addition, the supervisor noted that the resident with the broken leg complained that he was not “feeling the effects of his narcotics, as he normally does” and was unable to sleep. Even though the supervisor suspected that the LPN had taken the patient’s narcotics, the supervisor allowed the woman to continue working her shift. The incident was never reported to the DOH or the Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement for further investigation. The LPN later resigned and was asked not to come back to the facility.

In a separate incident involving the same LPN, two fentanyl patches went missing. While one of the patches was found a day later “crumbled up and on the floor” of the medication room, the other patch was never located. The fentanyl patches were for a resident who was diagnosed with hypertension, dysthymic disorder and neuropathy. The LPN had been involved in counting the patches. Another nurse, who had indicated that narcotics had gone missing before at the facility, stated that administrators were aware of the problem. In addition, the same nurse told investigators that the LPN in question had once offered her some pain medication for her back. The LPN in question even told the nurse that she could “get anything for her that she wanted.” While the Director of Nursing of the facility found that the missing patches were “suspicious” and “assumed” that the LPN had taken them, she never reported the incident to the DOH or the Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement as required by law.

The Rosewood facility received a “much below average” overall rating, according to the “Nursing Home Compare” website. In addition, the facility also received a “much below average” rating for health inspections and staffing levels. Rosewood received a total of 23 deficiency citations from the DOH; the average number of deficiencies for New York nursing homes is 5.4. Many of the deficiencies were considered widespread and placed the residents in immediate jeopardy of suffering harm or injury.

Posted in: Nursing Home Abuse, Nursing Home Violations

Primary Sidebar

Get In Touch

Practice Areas

Personal Injury

  • Wrongful Death
  • Motor Vehicle Accidents
  • Trucking Accidents
  • Pedestrian Accidents
  • Construction Accidents
  • Scaffolding Accidents
  • Slip, Trip & Falls (Premises Liability)
  • Negligent Supervision at a School or Day Care
  • Sidewalk Falls
  • Elevator Accidents
  • Train and Subway Accidents

Nursing Home Neglect & Abuse

  • Bedsores (Pressure Ulcers)
  • Falls & Fractures
  • Malnutrition and Dehydration
  • Physical and Sexual Abuse
  • Wandering & Elopement
  • Unexplained Bruises and Cuts
  • Infection
  • Choking Incidents
  • Medication Errors
  • Group Homes
  • Assisted Living Facilities

Criminal/DWI Defense

  • DWI (Driving While Intoxicated)
  • Criminal Defense
  • Traffic Violations
  • DMV Refusal Hearings
  • Sex Crimes
  • Shoplifting & Larceny
  • Assault & Vehicular Assault
  • Drug Possession
  • Drug Sales
  • Weapons Charges
  • Domestic Violence
  • How is a DWI Defined in New York?
  • Is the Driver’s License Confiscated Immediately Upon a DWI Arrest?

Medical Malpractice

  • Failure to Diagnose Cancer
  • Birth Injuries (Gynecological, Obstetrical)
  • Medication Errors
  • Surgical Errors
  • Gastric Bypass Surgery Errors
  • Emergency Room Errors
  • Failure to Diagnose Heart Attack or Stroke
  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Erbs Palsy Birth Injury

Trusts + Estates

  • Wills & Trusts
  • Divorce, Child Support, Custody Issues
  • Elder Law
  • Estate Planning
  • Guardianships
  • Medicaid-Planning
  • Power of Attorney / Health Care Proxy
  • Probate and Estate Administration
  • Surrogate Court Litigation
  • Real Estate
  • Business Formation
  • Wills
  • Will Contests

View All Practice Areas

View All Blogs

CLIENT TESTIMONIALS

" Last year I was injured in an accident, and for the first time, needed the advice of an attorney regarding how to proceed. I was referred to Thomas Gallivan through a family member who is a lawyer in Massachusetts. I am beyond pleased with how Thomas handled my case. He was knowledgeable, professional, and although the case was not as straightforward as some, he used every resource to ensure a positive outcome. Thomas communicated with me regularly and I felt completely informed and confident in his ability. He expertly negotiated a fair settlement that I was very happy with. The entire experience was extremely positive, during a stressful time for me. Thank you Thomas. "

Melanie

" Attorney Thomas Gallivan is a wonderful attorney!! I particularly liked his professionalism, consistency, always kept us updated on the case, and available upon request. He worked extremely hard and was persistent on getting the best settlement in a timely matter. I truly appreciated his prompt responsiveness to emails and phone calls. The office staff was very pleasant and made sure to get messages to him asap. Glad we chose this law firm, would highly recommend and in the event that we ever need an attorney again, Gallivan & Gallivan would be my primary choice. "

Katherine R.

" I was a passenger on a motorcycle and ended up falling off the back of the bike due to the driver acting like an idiot. I fell off at a high rate of speed and was very banged up. Fractured wrist and road rash down my back and elbows. I am lucky I didnt die. Not knowing what to do I contacted Thomas and he could not have been anymore helpful!! He went out of his way to meet with me. He actually came to my house for the initial consultation. I know nothing about law or what my options even were. He took me through everything step by step. "

Colin W.

View All Testimonials

245 Main St Suite 450 White Plains, NY 10601

Phone:
(914) 220-1086

Fax:
(516) 394-4229

555 5th Ave 14th Floor
New York, NY 10017

Toll Free:
(855) 228-7369

(By Appointment Only)

1370 RXR Plaza
Uniondale, NY 11556

Phone:
(914) 594-6820

Fax:
(516) 394-4229

12 1st St
Riverhead, NY 11901

Phone:
(914) 825-5855

Fax:
(516) 394-4229

Footer

  • Home
  • About
  • Practice Areas
  • Blog
  • Resources
  • Contact Us

ATTORNEY ADVERTISING

Copyright © 2022, Law Offices of Thomas L. Gallivan, PLLC