HospitalInspections.org

Based on observation and staff interview, the facility failed (a) to ensure the condition of the physical plant and the overall hospital environment is maintained in such a manner that the safety and well-being of patients are assured and (b) to comply with the FGI Guidelines as required by NY State Law - Part 405 Hospitals Minimum Standards

Findings include:

1) During observation conducted on 4/28/23 at 11:30 AM, it was identified that Manhattan Psychiatric Center had patient bedrooms that housed four (4) beds as follow:
Room #320 had four (4) beds
Room #322 had four (4) beds
Room #422 had four (4) beds
Room #444 had four (4) beds
Room #522 had four (4) beds
Room #535 had four (4) beds
Room #544 had four (4) beds
Per FGI Guideline 2010 edition; Maximum room capacity shall be two (2) patients.

During an interview conducted on 4/28/23 at 12:00 PM, Staff A, Executive Director, acknowledged the finding.


2) During tours of different floors of the facility, it was observed that no toilets were provided near the seclusion rooms.
FGI Guideline edition, 2010: 2.1-2.4.3.4 Layout. Seclusion treatment rooms shall
be accessed by an anteroom or vestibule that also provides
access to a toilet room. The door openings to the
anteroom and the toilet room shall have a minimum
clear width of 3 feet 8 inches (1.12 meters).
It should be noted that the provision of toilets near seclusion rooms are necessarily to avoid the use of common toilets by patients when they are in status that required them being secluded from other patients especially when they are agitated. The use of the regular toilets for patients in the seclusion room defeat the purpose of their seclusion.

During an interview conducted on 4/28/23 with Treatment Team Leaders of units on 9th and 8th floors at 11:00 and 11:30 respectively, they stated that the patients being secluded use the regular patient toilets when they are in the seclusion rooms.

This observation was made for all seclusion rooms of the different units within the psychiatric center.


3) The windowsills of the seclusion rooms were observed to be sharp and not padded which increases the risk of self-harm of patients who are secluded in those rooms.

The above findings were made in the presence of Staff A, Executive Director and Staff B, the Plant Superintendent, who were accompanying the State Surveyor during the tours.

The above findings were brought to the attention of the facility leaders during the exit conference on 4/28/23 at 3:30 PM.

Based on observation and staff interview, the facility failed to ensure the condition of the physical plant and the overall hospital environment is maintained in such a manner that the safety and well-being of patients are assured.

Finding include:

The windowsills of the seclusion rooms were observed to be sharp and not padded which increases the risk of self-harm of patients who are secluded in those rooms.

The above finding was made in the presence of Staff A, Executive Director and Staff B, the Plant Superintendent, who were accompanying the State Surveyor during the tours.

The above finding was brought to the attention of the facility leaders during the exit conference on 4/28/23 at 3:30 PM.