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1. Hidden Camera Investigation Leads to 17 Arrests of Nursing Home Employees Charged with Neglecting Patient
Seventeen employees of the Highpointe on Michigan Health Care Facility in Buffalo, New York were arrested and charged in April 2014 with neglecting a 56-year-old resident under their care. The male patient suffers from Huntington chorea, a neurological disease that makes him bedridden and totally dependent on staff members for his care. The eight nurses and nine nursing assistants faced a variety of charges, including Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree (a class E felony), Endangering the Welfare of an Incompetent or Physically Disabled Person in the First Degree (a class E felony), and Willful Violation of Public Health Laws. The felony charges carry a criminal penalty of up to four years in prison. A spokesperson from the Highpointe facility said that the 17 employees were fired “for neglectful care of one resident,” and cooperated with investigators in the matter.
According to officials, after a hidden video camera was placed in the patient’s room, footage from the camera revealed a pattern of neglect by the staff. For instance, the footage uncovered that employees failed to dispense medication on certain dates. In another instance, staff members didn’t provide liquids or proper incontinence care. Moreover, the video reveals that the patient went unattended for long periods of time. Staff members then covered up their neglect by falsifying the patient’s medical records.
Commenting on the 17 arrests, Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman remarked, “Nursing home residents are among our state’s most vulnerable citizens, and the perpetual neglect in this case is shameful. The charges filed send the message that my office will not tolerate anyone being neglected by those responsible for his or her care. We will use every tool in our arsental, including hidden cameras, to ensure that nursing home residents receive the care they need and the respect they deserve.”
Cori A. Gambini, president of Local 1168 of the Communication Workers of America, stated that six of the employees arrested are union members. She commented, “If the allegations are true, that can’t be tolerated.” The union planned to meet with the six terminated employees to determine what actions to take.
Jacqueline Livingston, whose mother was a patient at the facility, stated that her mother’s death in April 2013 was due to improper care. She met with state Health Department officials after filing a complaint that alleged her mother was living in unsanitary conditions, and wasn’t having her special dietary and medical needs met. Livingston stated, “I once found my mother in a diabetic coma there. They had been giving her foods that she should not have received as a diabetic: milkshakes and desserts.”
Highpointe is a 300-bed facility. The eight nurses charged are: Natalie Galbo, Shateeka Stevens, Michael Howell, Heidi Bowens, Rochelle McNeair-Tisdale, Jamie Cunningham, Cynthia Kozlowski, and Marlene Sims. The nine nursing assistants arrested are: Rabetta Harrell, Nicole Baker, Tiffany Heard-Williams, Rue Teasha McCray, Kenissa Henderson, Maria Robinson, Margaret Glass, Amanda Stuart, and Hazell Clegatt.
The Buffalo News and NBC 2 Buffalo have more on this story.
2. Highpointe on Michigan Health Care Facility Received 67 Percent More Citations than Most NY Nursing Homes
According to the New York State Health Department’s website, the Highpointe on Michigan Health Care Facility, a 300-bed nursing home in Buffalo, New York, received 67 percent more citations than other state nursing homes. From April 2010 through March 2014, the Department of Health (DOH) received 119 complaints about the facility. On average, the state received 44.6 complaints per 100 occupied beds; the statewide average is 34.3 complaints per 100 occupied beds. As a result, Highpointe had 23 percent more complaints than other nursing homes. From the same time period, the nursing home was issued 17 citations by the DOH. Eleven of the citations were for quality-of-care issues. On average, Highpointe received 6.4 citations per 100 occupied beds. The state average is 2.1 citations per 100 occupied beds. In addition, Highpointe had 62 deficiencies from April 2010 through March 2014, 46 percent higher than the statewide average of 33 deficiencies. Most of the deficiencies were related to the quality of care provided to the residents.
From April 2013 through December 2013, the DOH gave the facility a poor rating (only one out of five stars) for having a high number of residents suffering from bed sores. On average 7.7 percent of New York nursing home residents have pressure sores. However, 13.7 percent of Highpointe’s patients suffered from bed sores, which can lead to severe medical complications if left untreated. In addition, the facility received a low score (two out of five stars) for helping to manage patients’ pain. On average 14.6 percent of nursing home residents reported experiencing moderate to severe pain. However, 21 percent of Highpointe’s residents reported such concerns.
On December 3, 2013, the DOH issued the facility a citation for a medication error that had the potential to cause harm to a resident. The citation indicated that the problem was not just an isolated incident; rather, it is a pattern throughout the facility. According to the DOH’s report, one resident suffering from diabetes did not receive her medication in an appropriate fashion. On two separate occasions, the resident suffered from low blood sugar as a result of the medication error. In one instance, a registered nurse became confused about a doctor’s orders about administering a patient’s diabetes medication. Rather than call the doctor to clarify the instructions, she took it upon herself to change the order on her own. Due to “human error” and lack of communication, the DOH concluded, “the resident received sixteen additional doses of Lantus insulin over a 13 day period between 10/23/13 and 11/4/13 and the resident experienced two separate incidents of hypoglycemia.”
In April 2014, 17 nurses and nurse’s aides were arrested and charged with felonies for neglecting a Highpointe patient. The cases are currently being prosecuted by the New York State Attorney General’s Office.
