Princeton Place, Albuquerque

Nursing Home Law Center

Princeton Place is a very large facility that provides short-term rehabilitation and long-term care.  It is located in New Mexico and is now known as Princeton Health & Rehabilitation. 

The facility has come under scrutiny due to ongoing concerns about care quality and regulatory compliance. Recent state and federal inspections have revealed issues such as staff shortages and multiple fines for non-compliance with care standards.

If you or a loved one has been injured, abused, or neglected in this nursing facility, you may have the right to take legal action and seek compensation. Contact one of our New Mexico nursing home abuse lawyers to schedule a free consultation and take the first step to seeking justice.

Quick Overview

  • Facility Name: Princeton Health & Rehabilitation
  • Address: 500 Louisiana Boulevard NE Albuquerque, NM 87108
  • CMS Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars – Above Average
  • CMS Health Inspection Rating: 4 out of 5 stars 
  • CMS Staffing Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
  • CMS Quality Measures Rating: 4 out of 5 stars 
  • Federal Fines in Last 3 Years: 4 fines totaling $110,136
  • Payment Denials by Medicare in the Last 3 Years: 1 payment suspension
  • Consumer Alert: None
  • Total Bed Capacity: 369
  • Ownership Type: For-Profit, LLC

Facility Overview

Princeton Health & Rehabilitation is a nursing facility dedicated to short-term rehabilitation after situations like strokes, heart attacks, or surgeries and long-term care. The facility accepts Medicare, Medicaid, and Military or VA Benefits and is not part of a continuing care retirement community. 

The nursing home offers amenities such as a fitness center, a beauty salon, on-site activities, and housekeeping.

While it does have an above-average standard of care, it has still had 47 total deficiencies, one of which was infection-related. Princeton Place received its largest fine in 2021 when a patient lost their life due to respiratory care issues.

CMS Ratings and Performance

CMS, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, evaluates nursing homes using a 5-star rating system. The ratings are determined based on three key categories: health inspections, staffing, and quality measures.

Princeton Place has a 4-star overall rating from the CMS, placing it above average. It received three stars for Staffing, four for Health Inspections, and four for Quality Measures. However, more and more family members and residents complain about the state of the facility, especially the cleanliness of the nursing home area. 

Staffing: The typical resident in Princeton Place receives 3 hours and 12 minutes daily with nursing staff, 13 minutes fewer than the average. However, the nursing staff turnover is lower at 51.4% (the New Mexico average is 55.4%). No administrators have left the home so far.

Health Inspections: Princeton Place has had nine health citations in the last three years, fewer than New Mexico’s average of 16 and the national average of 9.5.

Quality Measures: The clinical data shows that the nursing home has better wound and ulcer care outcomes compared to the average, fewer long-stay patients with symptoms of depression (0.9% vs. 3.1% in NM), and a 100% rate of reviewing medications and applying follow-up care when issues are found. However, more long-stay residents receive antipsychotic drugs (16.1% vs. 14.1% NM).

Despite its relatively high ratings, Princeton Health & Rehabilitation has faced four federal fines totaling $110,136 over the last three years. It has experienced one Medicare payment suspension, signaling compliance issues requiring regulatory attention.

Services Provided

The hospital has a solid range of services, although lower than other facilities. Services include:

  • Short-Term Rehabilitation
  • Long-Term Care
  • Dialysis
  • Catheter Care
  • Outpatient Therapy
  • Respite Care
  • Palliative Care
  • Hospice Care
  • Mental Health Services

Violations and Citations

Residents of nursing facilities are entitled to proper care, a dignified existence, and protection from abuse. Due to their vulnerability, any violation of these rights is a serious concern. 

Specific Violations

Here are some of the deficiencies noticed at this nursing home.

Environmental Deficiencies: In one case, the staff found roaches in the patient’s CPAP machine. The latest report also showed water leaks, discolored and missing tiles, exposed water pipes, and an odor in the therapy room caused resident safety concerns. 

Quality of Life and Care Deficiencies: The nursing home was cited for failing to provide appropriate treatment and care according to the physician’s orders and resident’s preferences, as well as appropriate catheter care to prevent urinary tract infections. They also failed to ensure the nursing home area was free from accident hazards, provide adequate supervision to prevent accidents and provide enough food to a patient, causing a 7% weight loss in one month.

Pharmacy Service Deficiencies: The nursing home failed to ensure that drugs were correctly managed, following currently accepted professional principles. Some of the guidelines include ensuring expired and unexpired drugs are in separately locked compartments, not keeping medications in the original package, and managing controlled drugs. There were also significant medication errors, such as incorrect dosage and administration.

Nursing and Physician Services Deficiencies: The facility failed to ensure nurse aides have the skills they need to care for residents and to give nurse aides education in dementia care and abuse prevention. It also was unable to implement and document interventions that prevent contractures.

Resident Rights Deficiencies: The nursing home did not keep residents’ personal and medical records private and confidential, following accepted professional standards. They did not honor the resident’s right to a safe, clean, comfortable, and homelike environment or protect resident identifiable information.

Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiency: The nursing home was unable to protect each resident from all types of abuse, such as physical, mental, and sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect. The nursing home also failed to report an allegation of abuse of a resident by another resident to the proper authorities.

Impact on Residents

Nursing homes are supposed to help people with daily living, medical issues, and other challenges while maintaining their rights to self-determination. Unfortunately, recent reports from Princeton Place show the facility has been experiencing severe problems, from pests like roaches to medication errors.

These issues impact the residents and infringes on their rights, which may cause mental and physical problems. 

Health and Safety Concerns

Environmental issues such as water leaks, pest infections, and inadequate protection from accident hazards seriously threaten patient health and safety. Furthermore, poor care procedures can lead to injuries, weight loss, infections, pain, and an overall decline in physical well-being. 

Emotional and Psychological Impact

Living in a nursing home is already challenging as residents go from an independent living situation to an assisted living one. Neglect, abuse, and poor environment make this transition more complicated than it has to be. Common consequences on resident mental health include distress, anxiety, fearfulness, feelings of helplessness, and accelerated cognitive decline. 

Case Examples

A recent report showed a resident losing 7% of their weight in a short time because the nursing home failed to adjust their diet. Situations like this can affect a person’s immunity, health, and energy levels and cause emotional distress. 

In similar cases, residents have been harmed or died due to delays in critical care, such as failure to promptly reinsert a tracheostomy tube, delayed CPR, and inadequate communication with emergency services. For example, one resident died after their trach was accidentally dislodged, and staff failed to act quickly, resulting in a preventable death.

Under federal and state laws, nursing home residents are legally entitled to adequate care and protection from abuse. These rights ensure dignity, safety, and the ability to report concerns without fear. Princeton Health & Rehabilitation must create a safe, homelike environment for its residents while providing compassionate, skilled medical care. 

Given the latest reports, the home has a lot of work to do to improve resident living conditions. If the facility’s failings caused injury to you or a loved one, you may have the right to seek legal action by filing negligence or abuse claims. Moreover, you deserve compensation for any suffering you’ve been through. 

If you want to learn more about your legal options, contact us today for a free consultation. Our team of lawyers is dedicated to nursing home abuse, and we will fight for you to get justice.  

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