Belmont Bay Rehab: Accident Hazard Violations - VA
Federal inspectors observed the unsafe transfer of a resident with cerebral palsy and paraplegia at Belmont Bay Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center on October 29. The resident required a mechanical lift to move from bed to wheelchair.
During the transfer, nursing assistants positioned the lift's legs in the open position while raising the resident. When questioned separately, both CNAs involved said the legs should be closed during lifting and lowering.
The contradiction exposed confusion about basic safety procedures. CNA #3 described the correct process: place the sling under the resident, move the lift under the bed, attach the sling loops to hooks, tell the resident to hug themselves, then slowly raise them. She acknowledged the legs should be closed during the actual lifting.
CNA #2 gave similar instructions but mentioned opening the legs only to position the lift around the wheelchair after the resident was already raised.
The assistant director of nursing, who conducted initial and annual mechanical lift training for all nursing staff, gave conflicting guidance. When asked about leg position during transfers, he said the legs should be open while raising and lowering residents.
The facility has a policy titled "Lifting Machine, Using a Mechanical" that establishes general principles for safe lifting with mechanical devices. However, the policy notes it "is not a substitute for manufacturer's training instructions."
Mechanical lifts support residents who cannot bear weight on their own, using fabric slings that wrap around the person before attachment to hydraulic, manual, or electric lifting equipment.
The executive director, director of nursing, and clinical director of operations were informed of the findings on October 30. They provided no additional information before inspectors concluded their review.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Belmont Bay Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center from 2025-10-30 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.
Editorial process: Inspection findings are extracted from CMS source documents and synthesized using AI, reviewed for factual accuracy against the original report by our editorial team.
Professional review: All content reviewed by Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr., NH EMT & BU-trained Paralegal.
Last verified: August 9, 2026 · Our methodology
BELMONT BAY REHABILITATION AND HEALTHCARE CENTER in WOODBRIDGE, VA was cited for violations during a health inspection on October 30, 2025.
The resident required a mechanical lift to move from bed to wheelchair.
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.