SECAUCUS AND BEYOND — In response to complaints from a local nurses’ union and a public interest group, the state conducted an investigation on July 6 and 7 of Meadowlands Hospital in Secaucus, which was taken over by a private company last year. A report was released on Tuesday alleging that there were several deficiencies, ranging from the hospital failing to implement its policies for handwashing — specifically referencing an anesthesiologist who failed to do so when switching gloves — to failing to maintain clean operating rooms. The 25-page report also included violations such as the failure to provide out-patient and preventative clinic services for pediatric care, and failure to have an acuity system or other patient data base with objective data for determining proper nurse staffing.
“[The state] came with two people for two days. We responded and we are doing what we need to do,” said Tom Gregorio, Meadowlands Hospital CEO, in response to the state’s findings.
Gregorio said of the union’s complaints that the union has taken issue with the fact that hospital staff are being asked to work at greater capacity than they were accustomed to, and that they are using the media and their relationship with NJ Appleseed — the public interest group — to create propaganda and disseminate “blatant lies.”
The hospital has 10 days to respond to the state now that the report has been made public.
For more on this story, watch this space and read the Secaucus Reporter this Sunday.