Richmond Center for Rehabilitation and Specialty Healthcare received 30 citations for violations of public health code between 2018 and 2022, according to New York State Department of Health records accessed on June 10, 2022. The Staten Island nursing home’s citations resulted from a total of six inspections by state surveyors. The violations they describe include the following:
1. The nursing home did not protect residents from abuse. Under Section 483.12 of the Federal Code, nursing homes must ensure residents are free from abuse. A January 2022 citation found that Richmond Center for Rehabilitation and Specialty Healthcare failed to ensure such for three residents. The citation specifically describes an instance in which two residents “deemed to lack the capacity by [the facility’s] psychiatrist who make decisions regarding sexual activity” were engaging in sexual activity, and a second instance in which a third resident punched one of those two residents. The citation describes this issue as posing “immediate jeopardy to resident or health safety” and representing “a severe, systemic deficiency.”
2. The nursing home did not employ adequate infection control practices. Section 483.80 of the Federal Code mandates that nursing homes must establish and maintain an infection prevention and control program to mitigate the spread of communicable diseases and infections. A June 2021 citation found that Richmond Center for Rehabilitation and Specialty Healthcare failed to ensure such. The citation specifically describes an instance in which a Certified Nursing Assistant and a Licensed Practical Nurse “failed to perform required hand washing during a dressing change” for a resident’s pressure ulcer. It goes on to describe a second instance in which a behavioral health specialist failed to complete proper hand hygiene after caring for a resident. In an interview, the facility’s Director of Nursing said that “hand hygiene is important to prevent the spread of infection,” while its Infection Preventionist said that “staff should wash their hands on a regular basis before tasks, before gowning up, before and after meals, treatments, medication pass, when hands are visibly dirty, after removing gloves, after handling soiled items, and before and after PPE use.” A plan of correction undertaken by the facility included the in-servicing of all staff.
3. The nursing home did not follow food safety procedures. Under Section 483.60 of the Federal Code, nursing homes must store food “in accordance with professional standards for food service safety.” A June 2021 citation found that Richmond Center for Rehabilitation and Specialty Healthcare failed to ensure such. The citation specifically describes an instance in which the facility’s Specifically, a pantry refrigerator was observed to have undated and unlabeled resident food items with no use by date.” It also describes an instance in which a container was observed with a “spoiled substance in it.” As the citation notes, facility policy required the labeling of perishable items with a discard date, as well as the discarding of food items “that show signs of potential foodborne danger.” A plan of correction undertaken by the facility included the discarding of undated food items and the in-servicing of nursing and food service 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.
