Grandell Rehabilitation and Nursing Center received 16 citations for violations of public health code between 2018 and 2022, according to New York State Department of Health records accessed on October 21, 2022. The Long Beach nursing home’s citations resulted from a total of three surveys by state inspectors. The deficiencies they describe include the following:
1. The nursing home did not employ adequate accident-prevention measures. Section 483.25 of the Federal Code requires nursing homes to ensure residents an environment free of accident hazards and with adequate supervision to prevent accidents. A May 2022 citation found that v failed to ensure such. The citation specifically describes an instance involving a resident who had a history of falls, was identified as at high risk for falls, and required 30-minute monitoring by facility staff. According to the citation, the resident “breached an alarmed door without the staff knowledge and fell down a flight of stairs with their wheelchair.” The citation goes on to state that the nursing home “did not have documented evidence that the resident was monitored every 30 minutes as per their Comprehensive Care Plan.” After their fall, the resident was found in a stairwell, lying on the floor “with blood coming from the occipital area.” A plan of correction undertaken by the facility included the adjustment of the resident’s supervision measures to include a wander guard device that would allow them “to move more freely on unit while still allowing oversight that provides for safety and quality of life.” The plan of correction also included the education of staff on what to do when they hear door alarms.
2. The nursing home did not employ adequate measures to prevent infection. Under Section 483.80 of the Federal Code, nursing homes must maintain infection prevention and control programs designed to mitigate the development and transmission of diseases and infections. A May 2022 citation found that v failed to ensure such. The citation specifically describes an instance in which a resident was administered a tuberculosis skin test, but in which “facility staff did not document the site of administration and did not read the results as per the facility policy.” The test in question involved two doses of a protein solution: although the second dose was properly documented, according to the citation, the first was not. In an interview, a licensed practical nurse said that they were not aware the first step was not read, “and just followed orders and completed the 2nd step.” The nurse stated further that the lapse was an oversight. In a separate interview, a registered nurse said that “there is currently no tracking system in place” to monitor the tests. A plan of correction undertaken by the facility included the facility’s discontinuation of the test in question for new admissions and the implementation of a different test.
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.
