Van Duyn Center: Resident Burned by Breakroom Microwave - NY
Nobody had.
The resident, identified in inspection records as Resident 419, had a history of wanting to heat their own food and had been told previously they were not allowed to use the breakroom microwave. The facility's protocol required staff to reheat resident food in the core microwave, in 20 to 30 second intervals, checking the temperature before handing it over. The breakroom microwave was for staff. Resident 419 apparently used it anyway.
Certified Nurse Aide 162 described walking into the breakroom on March 15 and finding the resident there. The resident told them directly: they had burned themselves taking food out of the microwave. A nurse was present when the aide had that conversation with the resident. Staff then notified the Registered Nurse Supervisor, the Director of Nursing, and the on-call medical providers. When the on-call providers didn't respond, they escalated to Nurse Practitioner 48 and described the burn.
The aide told inspectors they weren't sure whether Resident 419 had been using the breakroom microwave before that day, only that the resident "liked to do what they wanted."
Registered Nurse Unit Manager 9 said during an interview on April 10 that residents were not supposed to reheat food on their own under any circumstances. She acknowledged that some staff did use the breakroom microwave to heat resident food because it was closer, even though they weren't supposed to. She said she had been unaware that Resident 419 was accessing the breakroom independently before the burn happened. When inspectors followed up with her a week later, on April 17, she repeated that she hadn't known, and said she would have care planned the behavior if she had.
The Director of Nursing told inspectors on April 10 that staff understood the reheating protocol and that she was unaware of any resident in the facility who could access microwaves on their own. Residents, she said, should not be using the breakroom microwave at all.
The gap between those two statements is where Resident 419's burn happened. The director believed no resident was independently accessing microwaves. The unit manager knew this particular resident liked to do things their own way but had never flagged it as a safety risk requiring a care plan. The aide knew the resident had been in the breakroom but wasn't sure how often. And the breakroom, by staff accounts, was already a place where the rules were sometimes bent, with staff heating resident food there because it was closer even when they weren't supposed to.
Federal inspectors cited the facility under New York state regulation 10 NYCRR 415.12(h), which covers resident environment and safety. The deficiency was classified as causing minimal harm or potential for actual harm, with some residents affected.
The inspection was completed April 18, 2025.
Van Duyn Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing is located at 5075 West Seneca Turnpike in Syracuse. The facility's CMS identification number is 335184.
Resident 419 reported the burn to a nurse aide in a staff breakroom. The unit manager said she would have written a care plan. She just hadn't known to write one.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Van Duyn Center For Rehabilitation and Nursing from 2025-04-18 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
Additional Resources
Data source: This article is based on inspection data downloaded directly from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) via Medicare.gov. CMS releases inspection reports in bulk; we publish the findings as documented by state surveyors in the official Form CMS-2567 Statement of Deficiencies.
Plan of correction: The CMS report we receive does not include the facility's plan of correction. Facilities submit plans of correction separately to state survey agencies and those responses may not be reflected in CMS data at the time of publication. The absence of a plan of correction in our data does not mean one was not filed. Readers who want information about corrective steps taken are encouraged to contact the facility directly or their state survey agency.
Corrections may have occurred: Inspection reports reflect conditions observed on the date of the survey. Facilities may have implemented corrections, staffing changes, additional training, or other remediation since the report was issued. We report what CMS provides and encourage readers to seek current information from the facility.
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Last verified: October 27, 2026 · Our methodology
Van Duyn Center For Rehabilitation And Nursing in SYRACUSE, NY was cited for violations during a health inspection on April 18, 2025.
The breakroom microwave was for staff.
Health inspections identify deficiencies that facilities must correct. Violations range from minor documentation issues to serious safety concerns. Review the full report below for specific details and facility response.