Williamsbridge Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing received 29 citations for violations of public health laws between 2015 and 2019, according to New York State Department of Health records accessed on November 14, 2019. These citations include one that authorities determined to reflect “a severe, systemic deficiency.” The Bronx nursing home’s citations resulted from a total of four inspections by state authorities. The violations they describe include the following:
1. The nursing home did not provide an environment free of accident hazards. Under Section 483.25 of the Federal Code, nursing home facilities are required to provide an environment as free as possible from accident hazards, and to provide proper supervision to prevent accidents. A citation issued on April 23, 2019 found that the nursing home failed to adequately supervise a resident with a history of attempted elopement, who eloped from the facility on April 5, 2019. According to the citation, the resident was not accounted for during an 11 AM head count, and the nursing home did not launch a search for the resident until 2:30 PM. As of the date of the citation, the resident’s whereabouts remained unknown. The Department of Health found that this failure resulted in “immediate jeopardy to resident health or safety” and reflected a systemic deficiency.
2. The nursing home did not comply with medication error rate standards. Section 483.45 of the Federal Code stipulates that nursing home facilities must maintain medication error rates that do not exceed five percent. A citation issued June 19, 2017 found that the facility failed to comply with this section on two instances. In one, a resident was not provided with their prescribed insulin within a certain timeframe, as the medication was not available at the time. In another, that same resident was administered blood pressure medication by a Licensed Practical Nurse, even though the resident’s blood pressure was “less than the prescribed parameters.” The citation notes that the resident, “who ambulates by walking independently,” was left at risk of falls by this medication error.
3. The nursing home did not comply with food safety standards. Section 483.60 of the Federal Code states that nursing homes must ensure the storage of food in accordance professional standards. According to a citation issued on June 19, 2017, Williamsbridge Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing failed to ensure that food was prepared and stored at proper conditions. An inspector specifically observed uncooked chicken on the bottom shelf of a refrigerator, which the facility’s Food Service Director stated was intended to be cooked later that day. The citation states that this lapse had the “potential to cause more than minimal harm.”
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.