Townhouse Center for Rehabilitation & Nursing suffered 10 fatalities from Covid-19 as of June 29, 2020, per state records. The nursing home also received 29 citations finding it violated public health code between 2016 and 2020, according to health records accessed on June 29, 2020, including one citation over its infection prevention practices. The facility has also received fines totaling $32,000 over findings that it breached provisions of the health code. The Flushing nursing home’s citations resulted from a total of 10 surveys by state inspectors. The violations they describe include the following:
1. The nursing home did not employ adequate infection prevention measures. Section 483.65 of the Federal Code requires nursing homes to maintain an infection control program that helps mitigate the spread of disease. A July 2016 citation found that Townhouse Center for Rehabilitation & Nursing failed to ensure such. The citation states specifically that a Registered Nurse did not conduct proper hand hygiene between cleaning a resident’s pressure ulcer and applying a clean dressing to the wound. According to the citation, an inspector observed the RN cleansing the wound with gauze, disposing of the gauze, removing her gloves, and putting on new gloves without first washing her hands or applying sanitizing gel. In an interview, the RN said “she realized she should have cleansed her hands after removing her gloves and prior to donning another pair of gloves.” A plan of correction undertaken by the facility included the educational counseling of relevant staff.
2. The nursing home did not employ adequate measures to prevent accidents. Section 483.25 of the Federal Code states that nursing homes must keep resident environments as free as possible of accident hazards. A July 2016 citation found that Townhouse Center for Rehabilitation & Nursing failed to ensure such. The citation states specifically that eleven residents had unsafe side rails on their beds, resulting in “immediate jeopardy and substandard quality of care” for 11 residents. The citation goes on to state that housekeeping closets in two units were observed unattended and unlocked, with “several liquid chemicals” stored in one of them, and that an elevator’s saddle-to-saddle level was not even. A plan of correction undertaken by the facility included the replacement of affected side rails.
3. The nursing home did not provide an adequate quality of care. Section 483.25 of the Federal Code requires nursing homes to ensure residents receive “treatment and care in accordance with professional standards of practice, the comprehensive person-centered care plan, and the residents’ choices” that allows for them to attain their highest practicable well-being. A July 2019 citation found that Townhouse Center for Rehabilitation & Nursing did not timely ensure such for one resident. The citation states specifically that after the resident was admitted to the facility “with a surgical wound to the left Above the Knee Amputation,” the nursing home’s employees failed to communicate with the resident’s operating surgeon so as to “clarify instructions related to the wound care and removal of the packing material to the wound.” The citation states further that “there was a delay in obtaining a follow-up appointment with the surgeon’s office” per the resident’s discharge documents from the hospital. A plan of correction undertaken by the facility included the in-servicing of licensed nurses and physicians on the facility’s consult policies and procedures, which were revised.
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.
