Prescott House: Resident Dignity Violations - MA
The September incident left the resident unable to summon help while the nursing assistant cared for their roommate behind a pulled privacy curtain.
CNA #1 told inspectors she had entered the room to assist the resident's roommate when she noticed the resident's call light was on. Rather than respond to the resident's needs, she turned off the call bell from sounding on the wall, pulled the privacy curtain, and proceeded to help the roommate instead.
The nursing assistant said she knew another CNA was assigned to care for the resident and "did not want Resident #1 to ring the call bell again." Before the assigned caregiver arrived, she unwrapped the call bell cord from the resident's side rail and put it on the ground out of reach.
CNA #2 witnessed the incident and reported it immediately to Unit Manager #1 on September 8th. The unit manager said she received the report that morning and immediately escalated it to the Director of Nurses.
"CNA #2 approached her to report that CNA #1 had pulled the call bell cord away from Resident #1 and tossed it out of his/her reach," the unit manager told inspectors during their November investigation.
The Director of Nurses confirmed she was informed of the incident by the unit manager that same morning. When she interviewed the nursing assistant about what happened, CNA #1 admitted her actions.
"CNA #1 stated that Resident #1 had his/her call light turned on, she wanted it to stop sounding, so she pulled it away from his/her reach," the Director of Nurses told inspectors.
The facility terminated CNA #1's employment following the investigation.
Call bells serve as residents' primary means of summoning help in nursing homes, particularly for those with limited mobility. Federal regulations require facilities to ensure residents can easily access call systems and receive prompt responses to requests for assistance.
The inspection, conducted in response to a complaint, found the facility violated federal standards for ensuring residents receive necessary care and services. Inspectors classified the violation as causing minimal harm or potential for actual harm to few residents.
The incident occurred while CNA #1 was providing care to the resident's roommate, suggesting the nursing assistant prioritized completing her tasks over ensuring both residents could access help if needed. Her decision to disable the call system and place it out of reach left the resident vulnerable during the time she spent behind the privacy curtain.
The facility's response included immediate reporting through the chain of command and swift termination of the employee responsible. However, the September incident wasn't discovered by management through routine oversight but only came to light when another nursing assistant witnessed and reported the violation.
Federal inspectors completed their investigation on November 25th, nearly three months after the incident occurred. The timing suggests the complaint that triggered the inspection may have been filed weeks or months after the original September event.
The violation highlights ongoing concerns about nursing home staffing and the pressures that can lead caregivers to prioritize efficiency over resident safety and dignity. Rather than addressing the resident's needs or ensuring proper handoff to the assigned caregiver, CNA #1 chose to simply eliminate what she perceived as an interruption to her work.
Prescott House, located on Prescott Street in North Andover, serves residents requiring various levels of nursing care and rehabilitation services. The facility has not yet submitted its plan of correction to address the deficiency identified in the federal inspection.
The resident whose call bell was removed remained unable to summon help for an undetermined period while receiving no direct care or attention from staff.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Prescott House from 2025-11-25 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
Additional Resources
Data source: Official federal inspection data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Editorial process: AI-synthesized regulatory data, reviewed for accuracy by our editorial team.
Professional review: All content reviewed by Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr., NH EMT & BU-trained Paralegal.
Last verified: June 20, 2026 · Our methodology
PRESCOTT HOUSE in NORTH ANDOVER, MA was cited for violations during a health inspection on November 25, 2025.
The September incident left the resident unable to summon help while the nursing assistant cared for their roommate behind a pulled privacy curtain.
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.