F0921 F921: Make sure that the nursing home area is safe, easy to use, clean and comfortable for residents, staff and the public.
E

Facility Fails to Maintain Safe and Sanitary Environment

El Paso Health & Rehabilitation CenterEl Paso, Texas Survey Completed on 04-16-2024

Summary

The facility failed to provide a safe, functional, sanitary, and comfortable environment for residents, staff, and the public. Observations revealed multiple issues including stained floors and ceilings, broken or missing floor tiles, non-functional restroom faucets, and light bulbs that were out. Additionally, there was a strong urine smell in B-Hall, trash on the floor in a living area, and a large hole in the wall under the medical records room/oxygen room. Hot water was not available in C-Hall, and Room B105 had wet urine and wet pieces of toilet paper scattered around, contributing to a strong urine smell and sticky floor. The medical records room and resident phone room both had holes in the walls, and D-Hall had broken floor tiles. These conditions were observed over multiple days and were confirmed through interviews with staff and record reviews, indicating ongoing issues that had not been addressed adequately by the facility's maintenance and housekeeping teams. Resident #3, a male with a history of falls, traumatic brain injury, and other significant medical conditions, was found to be living in unsanitary conditions. His room, B105, had a strong odor of urine, wet toilet paper on the floor, and a sticky floor. Despite efforts by the staff to clean the room, the urine smell persisted. Interviews with staff revealed that Resident #3 had a tendency to urinate on the floor, and housekeeping had been called multiple times to clean it up. However, the issue remained unresolved, contributing to the unsanitary conditions in the resident's room and the surrounding area. The facility's maintenance log and interviews with the Maintenance Director and DON revealed that there were ongoing issues with hot water availability in C-Hall and other areas. The circulating pump had been installed incorrectly by a previous Maintenance Director, leading to pipe eruptions and water leaks. Despite attempts to fix the issue, the problem persisted, and residents had to be taken to communal showers in A-Hall. The maintenance log also showed that several work orders for repairs and maintenance had not been addressed, further contributing to the unsafe and unsanitary conditions in the facility.

Penalty

No penalty information released
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The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.

Resources

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See other F0921 citations
Unsanitary Hair Salon and Open Kitchen Drain
D
F0921 F921: Make sure that the nursing home area is safe, easy to use, clean and comfortable for residents, staff and the public.
Short Summary

An open floor drain near the dish machine was observed without a grate, and the FSM confirmed it had no grate and was unsure how long it had been open. In the Hair Salon, the sink drain filter had a glob of hair, and 3 brushes plus a box of hair curlers had hair on them; the AD and HS both confirmed the unsanitary conditions, and the HS stated she might have forgotten to clean the salon after the beautician visit.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Dirty resident room and unclean memory care dining room
E
F0921 F921: Make sure that the nursing home area is safe, easy to use, clean and comfortable for residents, staff and the public.
Short Summary

A resident room was observed in disrepair with unpainted wall areas, black marks, discoloration, ceiling staining, and scuffed, missing paint on the door frame, and the same conditions remained on follow-up. The memory care dining room floor also had food crumbs and debris under multiple tables; an LPN said it appeared not to have been cleaned after the prior night's meal, and the administrator confirmed the food was still present.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Leaking and Loose Faucets in Facility Sinks
F
F0921 F921: Make sure that the nursing home area is safe, easy to use, clean and comfortable for residents, staff and the public.
Short Summary

Leaking and Loose Faucets in Facility Sinks: During a facility tour, a beauty shop style sink was observed leaking where the faucet connected to the sink, and maintenance staff stated they were not aware it needed repair. A sink in the soiled linens room on D/F Hall was also observed with a loose swivel faucet that leaked when turned on, and maintenance staff confirmed the observation.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Sharps Containers Left Full and Unusable
D
F0921 F921: Make sure that the nursing home area is safe, easy to use, clean and comfortable for residents, staff and the public.
Short Summary

Sharps containers on a locked dementia unit were observed full to the point that they could not be opened, including one in a shower room with three uncapped used disposable razors sitting on top of it and another on a medication cart. The DON and an LPN confirmed the containers were unusable, and the LPN noted two residents on the unit required routine blood glucose monitoring with lancets that would need disposal in a sharps container.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Resident Room Walls Found Moist, Stained, and Damaged
D
F0921 F921: Make sure that the nursing home area is safe, easy to use, clean and comfortable for residents, staff and the public.
Short Summary

Resident room walls were observed with moisture, black/gray staining resembling mildew or mold-like substance, bubbling paint, cracks, gouges, and dirty vents in multiple rooms, including B-2, B-4, B-6, B-8, B-10, and B-12. The Tel's record review showed no reports about the wall conditions for the past 6 months, and the ADM stated the moisture had been present for a while and had not previously been brought to the ADM and Maintenance Director's attention.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Broken Bedside Table Within Resident Reach
D
F0921 F921: Make sure that the nursing home area is safe, easy to use, clean and comfortable for residents, staff and the public.
Short Summary

A resident with moderate cognitive impairment and anticoagulant use had a bedside table within reach that was observed to be broken, with an unfinished edge, exposed particle board, splinters, and wood chips on the tabletop. A CNA confirmed the table was in poor repair and accessible to the resident.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
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