(914) 220-1086South Shore Rehabilitation and Nursing Center received 43 citations for violations of public health code between 2016 and 2020, according to New York State Department of Health records accessed on March 16, 2020. The Freeport nursing home’s citations resulted from a total of 10 surveys by state inspectors. The deficiencies they describe include the following:
1. The nursing home did not adequately keep residents free from medication errors. Section 483.45 of the Federal Code requires nursing homes to ensure residents are “free of any significant medication errors.” A February 2019 citation found that South Shore Rehabilitation and Nursing Center did not ensure such for one resident. The citation states specifically that the resident did not receive four doses of an anti-arrhythmic medication, as ordered by their physician. In an interview, the facility’s Director of Nursing stated that “the medication was not available for the resident, and the MD was not notified of the unavailability of the medication.” The citation states the deficiency had the “potential to cause more than minimal harm.”
2. The nursing home did not implement adequate accident prevention measures. Section 483.25 of the Federal Code requires nursing homes to ensure that resident environments are as free as possible of accident hazards, and that residents received “adequate supervision and assistance devices to prevent accidents.” A March 2016 citation found that South Shore Rehabilitation and Nursing Center did not ensure a resident identified as at risk for falls was provided adequate supervision assistance devices. The citation states specifically that while the resident’s care plan documented a chair alarm as one of their fall-prevention interventions, an inspector observed the resident without the chair alarm in place. In an interview, one of the facility’s charge nurses stated that she did not know why the alarm was not in place; in a separate interview, a Certified Nursing Assistant stated that the resident “was supposed to have a chair alarm but she forgot to place it on her as she was in a hurry” to get the resident to therapy.
3. The nursing home did not comply with food safety measures. Section 483.60 of the Federal Code states that nursing homes must ensure food is stored and prepared “in accordance with professional standards for food service safety.” An April 2017 citation found that South Shore Rehabilitation and Nursing Center did not ensure its kitchen area and one of its refrigerators were maintained in a sanitary fashion. The citation specifically states that an inspector observed “multiple kitchen items… uncleaned and/or in disrepair,” including an upright fan and a shelving unit that were soiled with dust. The inspector also observed a refrigerator that was “holding perishable food at an unsafe temperature for storage,” that is, above 41 degrees Fahrenheit. In an interview, the facility’s Food Service Director stated that the soiled surfaces would be cleaned, and that the items in the refrigerator “were promptly disposed of.”
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.
