F0839 F839: Employ staff that are licensed, certified, or registered in accordance with state laws.
E

Failure to Ensure Nursing License Renewal

SorrentoSan Antonio, Texas Survey Completed on 04-05-2024

Summary

The facility failed to ensure that LVN A renewed his nursing license before the expiration date, resulting in him practicing nursing with an expired license. This was discovered through record review, observation, and interviews. LVN A's personnel file revealed that his Texas LVN nursing license had expired, and verification on the Texas Board of Nursing website confirmed the delinquent status. Despite this, LVN A continued to work for five days, providing care to residents without a valid license. During interviews, LVN A stated he was unaware of the expiration and believed his license was valid until 2025. The HR Coordinator, responsible for verifying licenses, also failed to notice the expired license and did not communicate this information to the Director of Nursing (DON) or other management members. The HR Coordinator admitted to not sending a license report to the DON or any other member of management and relied on the nurses to renew their licenses. The Administrator, who was new to the facility, and the DON both stated that they were not informed about the expired license until after surveyor intervention. The facility's policy required the HR Coordinator to monitor license expirations monthly, but this was not effectively implemented. As a result, LVN A worked a total of 47.15 hours with a delinquent license, which was only addressed after the surveyor's intervention.

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

Below are regulatory guidelines relevant to this citation:

See other F0839 citations
Unlicensed OM Functioned as Administrator
F
F0839 F839: Employ staff that are licensed, certified, or registered in accordance with state laws.
Short Summary

An unlicensed OM was found acting as the facility administrator for more than two years, despite state records showing a different reported administrator and a posted NHA license holder who was not present. OM signed grievance logs and QAPI documents as administrator, introduced himself that way, and staff and a resident confirmed he was directing facility operations. State license review showed OM did not hold an active NHA license, while the NHAH stated OM should not have been calling himself the administrator.

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.
Unlicensed Nursing Supervisor Worked a Shift
D
F0839 F839: Employ staff that are licensed, certified, or registered in accordance with state laws.
Short Summary

An LPN-level nursing supervisor worked a shift after the nurse's license had expired, and the DON confirmed the nurse provided care without a valid license.

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.
LPN Worked With Suspended License
F
F0839 F839: Employ staff that are licensed, certified, or registered in accordance with state laws.
Short Summary

An LPN worked 33 days while his nursing license was suspended, and the facility did not know the license had been suspended because he did not notify anyone. State licensure review and confirmation from the OBN verified the LPN did not have an active license.

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.
Failure to Verify RN License at Hire
D
F0839 F839: Employ staff that are licensed, certified, or registered in accordance with state laws.
Short Summary

Failure to verify RN license upon hire for an as-needed RN. HR stated the license check was missed when the nurse was hired, and corporate later notified the facility that the individual did not have RN licensure. The personnel file contained no RN license, and the Administrator stated HR should have verified the license at hire.

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.
Expired ADON Nursing License
F
F0839 F839: Employ staff that are licensed, certified, or registered in accordance with state laws.
Short Summary

Expired ADON Nursing License: The facility failed to ensure an ADON had a valid active LVN/LPN license. Record review showed the license had expired, and the renewal application was submitted late. The ADON stated she was unaware the license had lapsed and reported that she had still performed some nursing tasks, including medication administration and assessments, during the inactive licensure period. The DON and ADM were not aware of the expired license, and no licensure or credentialing policy was provided.

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.
Expired LVN License Not Identified
D
F0839 F839: Employ staff that are licensed, certified, or registered in accordance with state laws.
Short Summary

An LVN worked with an expired license after the facility failed to properly verify her credential status. The DON was unaware of the expired license, and the Administrator said the issue was found during an audit of licensed nurses. HR stated license checks were done on hire and annually, but the report used did not fully show the expiration date. The LVN said she did not know her license had expired.

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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