Sapphire Nursing at Meadow Hill received 42 citations for violations of public health code between 2016 and 2020, according to New York State Department of Health records accessed on February 20, 2020. The facility has also been the subject of a 2011 fine of $72,000 in connection to findings during a 2009 inspection that it violated health code provisions regarding mistreatment and neglect, pressure ulcers, resident dignity, resident well-being, nurse aid competency, and administrative practices and procedures. The Newburgh nursing home’s citations resulted from a total of five surveys by state inspectors. The deficiencies they describe include the following:
1. The nursing home did not ensure residents were free from significant medication errors. Section 483.45 of the Federal Code ensures nursing home residents the right to be “free of any significant medication errors.” A May 2019 citation found that Sapphire Nursing at Meadow Hill did not ensure its residents were free of such. An inspector specifically found that one Licensed Practical Nurse “did not administer medications prescribed by the physician” to 12 residents. A plan of correction undertaken by the facility included the suspension of that LPN, whose employment with the facility later ended. The citation states that this deficiency had the “potential to cause more than minimal harm.”
2. The nursing home did not take adequate steps to prevent accidents. Section 483.25 of the Federal Code stipulates that nursing home facilities must ensure that resident environments remain “as free of accident hazards as is possible” and that residents receive “adequate supervision and assistance devices to prevent accidents.” A May 2019 citation found that Sapphire Nursing at Meadow Hill did not ensure the thorough investigate of falls “to determine the contributory factors and if planned interventions, were implemented to prevent recurrent falls” for one resident. The citation states specifically that the investigations of one resident’s four falls did not determine whether their plan of care intervention providing for the use of nonskid socks was implemented by the facility. The citation also states that the resident’s care plan “was not reviewed to determine if revision was needed to more effectively address unassisted transfers from bed.” The citation states that this deficiency had the “potential to cause more than minimal harm.”
3. The nursing home did not adhere to food safety standards. Under Section 483.60 of the Federal Code, nursing homes are required to “Store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards for food service safety.” A May 2016 citation found that Sapphire Nursing at Meadow Hill did not ensure the facility established and implemented adequate measures “to cool potentially hazardous foods to the proper temperature.” An inspector specifically found that facility policy omitted detailed information about cooling such food; that food preparation employees “were not knowledgeable regarding proper cooling procedures”; and that staff were not maintaining cooling logs. A plan of correction undertaken by the facility included the discarding of food items and the education of dietary staff on an updated 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.
