County Exec. Responds to Concerns Surrounding Wicomico Nursing Home
WICOMICO COUNTY, Md. – Many issues were discussed at Tuesday’s Wicomico County Council meeting, but concerns surrounding the Wicomico Nursing Home dominated public comments.
A new director was hired to manage the nursing home in early April. But, according to employees, as well as family members of those currently or formerly housed at the home, conditions have since gone downhill. Many alleged that the quality of the facility has declined, residents have become unhappy, and employees are being silenced.
Community Concerns
Kris Windsor says she is one of seven employees that have been fired from Wicomico Nursing Home since Apr. 9. Windsor worked at the facility for nearly 13 years prior to Thursday, when she says she received a phone call notifying her of her termination. According to her and many others, issues first began at the four-star facility when the county became more hands-on this Spring and began outsourcing various operations.
“Patient care is diminishing, because we don’t have the staff,” Windsor said during public comments. “Everybody wants to cut costs; they’re changing up the payroll system because they don’t know how to work it.”
A nurse currently employed with the facility, Esther Thomas, also expressed her concerns, echoing Windsor and other attendees.
“Long-standing policies are being replaced, and essential jobs are being outsourced,” Esther said. “Dedicated employees face losing their livelihoods, while residents face losing their familiar caregivers and support staff they know and trust. These are not simply operational changes, they affect real people, real families, and the quality and consistency of care.”
Since 1972, the Wicomico Nursing Home has been county property and managed by a Board of Health, which is comprised of the Wicomico County Council and the County Executive.
During public comments, Wicomico NAACP President Monica Brooks says her organization has been inquiring into the nursing home’s conditions since late-March, including staffing numbers and building upgrades. Further, Brooks asked for clarification of into the role of the Board of Health as it currently stands, and details into how often the Board meets.
“If the Board of Health is over this entity, if you’re overseeing it, then you should not only be overseeing the finances; because I saw the audit, the audit says [Wicomico Nursing Home] is in the black,” Brooks said. “Why is that money not being utilized to bring the building and the facilities into the place that the residents deserve, so that that staff can be in a place where they can do the job that they want to do, to take care of those individuals?”
County Council Responds
During council comments, County Councilman Joe Holloway (R-District 5) sympathized with the issues raised during public comments, but argued that the Council’s hands were tied. Prior to Tuesday’s Legislative Session convening, the Council held a closed session, the details of which are not made available to the public. Holloway confirmed that the session was held in regards to personnel at the Wicomico Nursing Home, saying the discussion “painted a pretty picture.”
Councilwoman Shanie Shields (D-District 1), whose district encompasses the facility, said the comments brought tears to her eyes, and recounted a time that her aunt stayed at the Wicomico Nursing Home. She urged employees facing retaliation to contact her and other labor agencies in the State to report the conduct they experience. Shields also acknowledged that even she has had a difficult time getting in contact with the site’s director.
County Executive Responds
The backlash at Tuesday’s meeting prompted County Executive Julie Giordano to release a statement saying that the County has no plans of selling or privatizing the home. The executive went on to criticize claims maintaining the opposite, calling the issue a political talking point. Further, she revealed that, at the request of the new Director, the County is “providing assistance with financial and personnel operations to strengthen the facility and ensure it remains safe, secure, and financially viable.”
In a statement to WMDT, Giordano confirmed the hiring of Tina Fosky as the nursing home’s new director on Apr. 9, and reaffirmed her support for Fosky’s leadership.
“Since her arrival, she has worked diligently to modernize the nursing home’s financial and personnel practices and to ensure the facility is operating in compliance with current standards,” Giordano said of Fosky. “Many of these processes should have been implemented years ago… If some employees choose to characterize that as a ‘toxic environment,’ then I would respectfully disagree. Accountability is not toxicity—it is a necessary component of operating a quality healthcare facility.”
Giordano added that county leadership is appreciative of Fosky’s partnership with their Finance and Human Resources departments, saying that she has recognized areas that need more support at the facility, including elevating the nursing home’s financial and personnel operations.
“We recognize that organizational change can be challenging, but we are extremely grateful for the time, effort, and expertise Tina has dedicated to strengthening the nursing home,” Giordano concluded. “Our priority remains providing the highest quality care for our residents while ensuring the facility is managed responsibly, transparently, and in full compliance with applicable standards.”
