New York Congregational Nursing Center received 30 citations for violations of public health code between 2018 and 2022, according to New York State Department of Health records accessed on September 16, 2022. The Brooklyn nursing home’s citations resulted from a total of six surveys by state inspectors. The violations they describe include the following:
1. The nursing home did not provide adequate treatment and care of pressure sores. Section 483.25 of the Federal Code states that nursing homes must ensure residents with pressure ulcers are provided “necessary treatment and services to promote healing, prevent infection and prevent new sores from developing.” A January 2022 citation found that New York Congregational Nursing Center failed to ensure such. The citation specifically describes a resident identified as at risk for pressure ulcers who “was not provided with preventive skin care to prevent skin breakdown during their stay at the facility,” subsequently developing a pressure ulcer. In an interview, the facility’s Director of Nursing said that the resident developed the pressure ulcer at the outset of the Covid-19 pandemic began, “had a big impact on the facility and a lot of staff got sick or left at that time.” A plan of correction undertaken by the facility included educational counseling of relevant staff.
2. The nursing home did not implement adequate measures to prevent and control infection. Section 483.80 of the Federal Code requires nursing homes to create and uphold infection prevention and control programs “to provide a safe, sanitary and comfortable environment and to help prevent the development and transmission of communicable diseases and infections.” A January 2022 citation found that New York Congregational Nursing Center failed to ensure such. The citation specifically describes three instances in which “oxygen tubing was observed touching the floor”; one instance in which an employee “was observed entering a room with signage of contact droplet precautions without wearing the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment”; and the facility’s lack of a water management plan for Legionella. A plan of correction undertaken by the facility included the educational counseling of relevant staff.
3. The nursing home did not follow food safety protocols. Section 483.60 of the Federal Code stipulates that nursing homes must “Store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards for food service safety.” A January 2022 citation found that New York Congregational Nursing Center failed to ensure such. The citation states specifically that “potentially hazardous foods were not maintained at an acceptable temperature to prevent foodborne illness.” The foods in question included baked chicken, baked fish, chopped fish, and chopped chicken. A plan of correction undertaken by the facility included the re-education of food service 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.
