Ridgefield Nursing Home Fined Following Choking Incident

RIDGEFIELD, CT — A nursing home in town was fined after a resident choked while being fed a hamburger, according to the Connecticut Health I-Team.

Laurel Ridge Health Care Center in Ridgefield was fined $6,000 by the state Department of Health after a nurse aide fed a resident with Multiple Sclerosis hamburger. The resident, who was at risk for aspiration and on a special diet, choked and required the Heimlich maneuver to clear their airway.

The citation indicated that the nurse aide knew that hamburger was forbidden on the resident's special diet but fed it anyway because it was on the food tray. The cook who prepared the meal said it was prepared according to a dietary aide's specifications, but that he did not cross-check the resident's meal ticket. The nurse aide also failed to report the error to the charge nurse or offer an alternative meal, according to the report.

In the aftermath of the incident, all staff involved in meal service were re-educated about the precautions to take in regard to aspiration. Operational audits were also put in place to ensure accuracy of meal tickets and trays.

Laurel Ridge Health Care Center, located at 642 Danbury Road, is part of Athena Health Care Systems, a Connecticut-based management group that provides healthcare services to individuals throughout Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. It was one of five nursing homes in the state that was recently fined by the DPH, according to the Connecticut I-Team report.

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