Bria of Elmwood Park

In the surveyor’s words

From the most serious findings on record at Bria of Elmwood Park, in the surveyor’s own words.

• Immediate jeopardy, isolatedF684Dec 24, 2025

  Based on interview and record review, the facility failed to ensure that a resident received care and services in accordance with professional standards of practice by failing to monitor potassium levels after initiation and continuation of potassium supplementation and by failing to recognize and act upon a critically abnormal laboratory value. The facility did not ensure timely laboratory monitoring for a resident receiving potassium and failed to notify the provider or initiate emergent medical intervention when a critically high potassium level of 8.4 mEq/L (normal range 3.5-5.1) was identified. […]

• Immediate jeopardy, isolatedF773Dec 24, 2025

  Based on interview and record review, the facility failed to ensure that laboratory results were communicated to the ordering provider in accordance with facility policy and procedures for notification. This failure applied to one (R1) of three residents reviewed for notification of laboratory results and resulted in no provider being notified that R1 had a critical potassium level of 8.4 mEq/L (normal range 3.5-5.1), putting R1 at risk of cardiac arrythmia (irregular or abnormal heart rhythm). R1 subsequently experienced cardiac arrest in the facility and expired four days after the laboratory result was obtained. These failures resulted in an Immediate Jeopardy. […]

• Immediate jeopardy, isolatedF695Feb 3, 2025

  Based on observations, interviews, and record review, the facility failed to provide a credentialed certified respiratory staff, as required by state law, to perform respiratory assessment, treatment, and monitoring for residents requiring respiratory care for 3 of 19 (R67, R79, R149) residents reviewed for respiratory care in the sample of 58. The Immediate Jeopardy began on 01/27/2025 at 12:07 PM when V5 (Respiratory Technician/Student) was observed independently providing tracheostomy care to R149. V1 (Administrator) was notified on 01/29/2025 at 03:12 PM of the Immediate Jeopardy. The facility presented an acceptable removal plan, and the immediacy was removed on 02/03/2025 The surveyor conducted onsite investigation on 02/03/2025 to confirm the removal plan was implemented. […]

• Immediate jeopardy, isolatedF684Mar 20, 2024

  Based on interview and record review, the facility nursing staff failed to respond to a resident requiring respiratory care and the nursing staff failed to provide needed suctioning for a resident in potential hypoxia (lack of oxygen); for one (R2) of three residents reviewed for respiratory care in the sample of four. Findings include: R2 is a [AGE] year old male admitted to the facility on [DATE] with diagnosis including but not limited to Acute and Chronic Respiratory Failure with Hypoxia or Hypercapnia; Dysphagia; Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; Systolic (Congestive) Heart Failure; Hypertension; and Gastrostomy and Tracheostomy Status. According to R2's face sheet, R2's code status: Full Code. […]

• Immediate jeopardy, isolatedF695Mar 20, 2024

  Based on interview and record review, the facility nursing staff failed to provide timely respiratory care to a resident with a tracheostomy and failed to provide documentation of monitoring for an agitated resident for an hour after suctioning. These failures affected one (R2) of three residents reviewed for respiratory care in the sample of four. This failure resulted in R2 left being agitated with no follow up for one hour after trach care from RT, found with this trach out and in respiratory arrest. The Immediate Jeopardy began on [DATE] when R2 gestured and pointed to his trach, was not immediately suctioned by nursing staff, but later was by respiratory who admitted R2 was agitated before, during, and after trach care. […]