Rosewood Rehabilitation and Nursing Center has received 77 citations for violations of public health code between 2018 and 2021, according to New York State Department of Health records accessed on January 29, 2022. The facility has also been named a candidate for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ list of Special Focus Facilities, nursing homes with a history of quality issues. The Rensselaer nursing home’s citations resulted from a total of 12 surveys by state inspectors. The deficiencies they describe include the following:
1. The nursing home did not implement adequate measures to prevent infections. Section 483.80 of the Federal Code stipulates that nursing homes must establish and maintain an effective infection prevention and control program. A December 2021 citation found that Rosewood Rehabilitation and Nursing Center failed to ensure such. The citation states specifically that the nursing home “did not ensure facility staff cleansed scissors after using them to remove a contaminated dressing and prior to using the scissors to cut a wound packing, and did not place a contaminated item in a multi-resident use treatment cart.” It goes on to describe an instance in which a staff member did not undertake hand hygiene procedures between taking off soiled gloves and putting on clean gloves. In an interview, the facility’s Director of Nursing said that “hand hygiene should be performed before and after providing resident care, after each glove removal and between each area when providing wound care.” A plan of correction undertaken by the facility included the re-education of relevant staff.
2. The nursing home did not provide adequate pressure ulcer care. Under Section 483.25 of the Federal Code, nursing homes must ensure residents with pressure ulcers receive necessary treatment and services in accordance with professional standards of practice. A December 2021 citation found that Rosewood Rehabilitation and Nursing Center failed to ensure such for two residents. In connection with one resident, the facility states that the nursing home failed to ensure pressure ulcer care “was provided as ordered by the physician and per professional standards of practice.” In connection with the second, the citation states that the nursing home did not ensure the resident’s risk of skin breakdown was evaluated and did not ensure adequate treatment. A plan of correction undertaken by the facility included the full body assessments of all residents to identify risks of skin breakdown.
3. The nursing home did not adequately prevent medication errors. Under Section 483.45 of the Federal Code, nursing home residents have the right to be “free of any significant medication errors.” November 2021 citation found that Rosewood Rehabilitation and Nursing Center failed to ensure such. The citation states specifically that ten residents experienced medication errors. In one resident’s case, the facility did not administer an anticoagulant and a pain medication as ordered; in another resident’s case, the facility did not administer insulin, pain, and anticoagulant medications as ordered; and in six residents’ cases, the facility did not administer insulin as ordered. A plan of correction undertaken by the facility included the re-education of relevant 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.