Six months of hospital inspections at St. Mary Medical Center: July to December 2023
The Bucks County hospital was cited for understaffing 12 units in October.
State inspectors cited St. Mary Medical Center in Langhorne for understaffing its labor and delivery unit and 11 other care units last fall. The violation was found during one of two times inspectors visited the hospital between July and December 2023.
Inspectors reviewed nurse staffing levels for 12 patient units across multiple days and shifts in November and October 2023, and found that all were understaffed.
For instance, there were three registered nurses and one nurse assistant working in the labor and delivery unit with three patients. Under Pennsylvania’s mandatory nurse-to-patient ratios, there should have been five registered nurses on duty, according to a December inspection report.
Another care unit with 26 patients had seven registered nurses — below the required nine registered nurses.
As part of its plan to fix the problems, the hospital said that nurse leaders would review staffing needs every shift. The hospital’s correction plan was included in the inspection report.
Administrators also agreed to create a plan for how to prepare for anticipated staff shortages, such as using a nursing agency or offering incentives for staff who agree to work extra shifts, according to the inspection report.
Inspectors previously visited in October for a complaint, but found the hospital was in compliance. Complaint details are not made public when inspectors determine it was unfounded.
Pennsylvania Department of Health routinely inspects hospitals to ensure the facility is safe for patients and that staff are following all safety protocols. Inspectors may also visit when a hospital staff member or patient files a complaint.
Not all safety violations spark an on-site investigation from inspectors. Hospitals are required to self-report the most serious safety violations and often work directly with the state to address them. Complaint details are not made public when inspectors determine it was unfounded.
The Inquirer tracks publicly available hospital reports related to a complaint, special monitoring, and general safety inspections. The Inquirer does not track inspections for new equipment or occupancy surveys, unless problems are identified.
Inspection reports are publicly available online and are released 40 days after the report is completed.
The Inquirer is publishing roundups of state inspection reports for Pa. hospitals in our coverage area.
