Ellicott Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing has received 61 citations for violations of public health code between 2018 and 2022, according to New York State Department of Health records accessed on September 23, 2022. The Buffalo nursing home’s citations resulted from a total of 12 inspections by state surveyors. The deficiencies they describe include the following:
1. The nursing home did not employ adequate measures to ensure residents were free from accident hazards. Under Section 483.25 of the Federal Code, nursing homes must provide residents with an environment as free as possible from accident hazards, with adequate supervision to protect residents from accidents. A March 2019 citation found that Ellicott Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing failed to ensure such. The citation specifically describes the facility’s failure to provide a resident with a non-slip device as provided for by their care plan. The resident in question, according to the citation, “had falls with and without injury,” as well as “multiple complaints of pain” in their bilateral hips and back. In an interview, a certified nursing aide stated that the device was missing. A plan of correction undertaken by the facility included the replacement of the device and the education of nursing staff.
2. The nursing home did not adequately protect residents from medication errors. Section 483.45 of the Federal Code requires nursing homes to ensure that “residents are free of any significant medication errors.” A February 2019 citation found that Ellicott Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing failed to ensure such. The citation specifically describes an instance in which the frequency with which a resident was to receive a vitamin supplement was written incorrectly in the resident’s record, “causing a medication error for months.” A plan of correction undertaken by the facility included the education of relevant staff and a full-house audit of records receiving the vitamin in question.
3. The nursing home did not ensure adequate testing of residents and staff for Covid-19. Section 483.80 of the Federal Code requires nursing homes to ensure employees were tested for Covid-19 in a manner in accordance with current testing practices. A February 2021 citation found that Ellicott Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing failed to ensure such. The citation specifically describes an instance in which the nursing home had no documented evidence that Covid-19 tests were completed in accordance with executive orders for one nurse. In an interview, the facility’s Administrator said that the nurse in question was “not under the full-time testing requirement as she worked three shifts or less and needed to be tested one time within the week,” though two tests within the week in question would be mandatory if the nurse “worked four or more shifts.” A plan of correction undertaken by the facility included a full-house audit of all staff to ensure compliance with facility testing policy.
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.