A New York nursing home was cited for failures to administrate efficiently and to keep its 37 residents free from neglect. The citation comes after a viral video showed one of its nurses nearly collapsing, The Citizen reported May 23.
Auburn (N.Y.) Rehabilitation and Nursing Center came under the state health department's scrutiny after a March 26 viral video showed a licensed practical nurse slumping at a medical cart apparently asleep on her feet.
According to a New York State Department of Health report, the nurse said she had just received "disturbing news" and was reacting to that call. The director of nursing told The Citizen they believed her explanation and that the nurse "followed directions and spoke clearly" earlier.
The unnamed nurse had been working at the facility since Feb. 16, and the report documents several instances of her appearing drowsy, arriving late and spending hours in the bathroom or her car. In some instances, other nurses suspected she was working under the influence, however, "there was no documented evidence an investigation was completed to address the concerns as reported," the report said.
Nurses on the night of March 26 reported the LPN was "on the floor crawling around, reaching around for things that were not there." One staff member described her as "worse than normal and something was definitely off." After working, the licensed practical nurse allegedly sat in her car for hours, and residents complained about its headlights and the horn repeatedly sounding.
The center's administrator, Judson MacCaull, told the publication the nurse was no longer employed there and declined to elaborate on the center's response to the video. He said only that it "addressed the matter ... and has fully cooperated with investigators from the Department of Health."
The Department of Health said it imposed a direct plan of correction and a directed in-service training based on the citations, and the center must be in compliance by June 13.