The New Jewish Home has received 39 citations for violations of public health code between 2018 and 2022, according to New York State Department of Health records accessed on March 25, 2022. The Manhattan 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 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.” A December 2021 citation found that The New Jewish Home failed to ensure such. The citation specifically describes in which a resident was given an incorrect dosage of a redacted medication. In an interview, the registered nurse who administered the medication said, “To tell you the truth, I was not looking at the percentage and I did not read the instructions that after opening it has to be refrigerated and to use only within 96 hours.” A plan of correction undertaken by the facility included the re-education of the nurse in question.
2. The nursing home did not adequately prevent falls. Section 483.25 of the Federal Code stipulates that nursing homes must ensure residents receive a level of supervision and assistance devices adequate to prevent accidents. An October 2020 citation found that The New Jewish Home failed to ensure such. The citation specifically describes a non-ambulatory resident who required a wheelchair for mobility. In an instance described by the citation, a Certified Nursing Assistant ambulated the resident to and from the restroom without using the wheelchair, in which the resident was lowered to the floor and suffered an injury in which their ankle broke on three sides. In an interview, the CNA said “she did not receive any training on ambulating” the resident. A plan of correction undertaken by the facility included the in-servicing of Certified Nursing Assistants on the need to provide residents with care based on their care plans.
3. The nursing home did not ensure residents were protected from the use of physical restraints. Under Section 483.10 of the Federal Code, nursing home residents have the right to be free from the use of physical restraints “imposed for purposes of discipline or convenience.” A December 2021 citation found that The New Jewish Home failed to ensure such. The citation specifically describes the use of hand mittens on one resident “without an assessment, care planning, physician’s order, or documentation regarding the medical symptoms being treated.” In an interview, a Certified Nursing Assistant said that the although there was no documentation for the use of mittens on the resident, “they use the hand mitten because the family asked them to do so.” In another interview, A Registered Nurse “could not explain why an assessment was not done for the use of hand mittens.” A plan of correction undertaken by the facility included the removal of the hand mitten and 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.
