F0684 F684: Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
H

Failure to Provide Appropriate Care and Treatment

Southwestern Nursing And Rehabilitation CenterPittsburgh, Pennsylvania Survey Completed on 06-13-2024

Summary

The facility failed to provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident preferences, and goals, resulting in actual harm to several residents. One resident, identified as R28, experienced significant issues with constipation management. Despite having a bowel regimen protocol in place, the facility did not administer the prescribed treatments, such as Milk of Magnesia, Dulcolax suppository, and Fleets enema, in a timely manner. This oversight led to the resident being hospitalized twice for fecal impaction and small bowel obstruction. Interviews with staff revealed inconsistencies in following the bowel protocol, and the care plan lacked interventions for preventing constipation. Additionally, the facility failed to provide prescribed wound care treatments for several residents, including R4, R11, R12, and R29. Resident R4 did not receive timely dressing changes for wounds on the right lateral calf and foot, leading to a hospital transfer for a diabetic foot infection. Resident R11 returned from a post-operative appointment with an unchanged surgical dressing, contrary to discharge instructions. Resident R12's treatment administration record lacked documentation of wound care for several days, and there was no explanation for this omission. Resident R29's wound care orders were not updated to reflect hospice provider instructions, leading to discrepancies in treatment frequency. The Director of Nursing and other staff confirmed these deficiencies during interviews, acknowledging the failure to recognize signs of constipation, implement preventive interventions, and adhere to prescribed wound care treatments. The facility's inability to follow established protocols and physician orders resulted in hospital admissions and inadequate care for the affected residents.

Penalty

Inspection fine: $60,520
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.

Resources

Below are regulatory guidelines relevant to this citation:

See other F0684 citations
Medication Dose Error and Midline IV Care Failure
D
F0684 F684: Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Short Summary

An LPN administered only one tablet of methotrexate instead of the ordered six-tablet dose for a resident with RA. The facility also failed to maintain ordered midline IV care for another resident receiving IV abx, with observations showing a soiled dressing, site discoloration, and later no midline or IV pump present despite orders for ongoing site monitoring, dressing changes, and line removal after tx completion.

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 Follow Oxygen Orders for Resident with COPD
D
F0684 F684: Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Short Summary

A resident with dementia and COPD had an order for continuous O2 via NC, with SpO2 to be maintained between 88% and 92% and not exceed 92%. The record showed SpO2 readings below 88% on room air and multiple readings above 92% while on supplemental O2, with no nursing interventions documented; the DON stated the resident’s SpO2 should have been better monitored and the physician’s O2 order more closely followed.

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 Monitor Loose Stools and Bleeding During Anticoagulant Therapy
D
F0684 F684: Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Short Summary

A resident with a stage 4 pressure injury and sepsis had ongoing loose stools, but the MAR showed no documented PRN loperamide use and the record showed no provider notification despite repeated large loose stools. The same resident was also receiving daily anticoagulant injections and was observed with dark red urine in an indwelling catheter, yet there was no documented bleeding/bruising monitoring, no progress note about the blood in the urine, and no alert charting.

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 Follow Up on GI Symptoms, Stool Testing, Specialty Referral, and Diagnostic Order
G
F0684 F684: Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Short Summary

A resident with chronic GI symptoms, malnutrition, diabetes, depression, and PTSD had persistent watery diarrhea, abdominal pain, and nausea, but the facility did not adequately track stool testing, confirm lab results, or complete the ordered GI referral. The resident reported frequent diarrhea, fatigue, reduced intake, and soreness, while staff documentation showed conflicting entries about specimen refusal versus sleeping, and the lab later had no record of the specimen that was charted as sent. The record also lacked evidence that the GI specialist appointment was scheduled or completed, and a separate resident’s ordered ECHO for pericardial effusion was not documented as scheduled or completed.

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.
Delayed Dermatology Appointment for Facial Lesion
D
F0684 F684: Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Short Summary

A resident with a growing facial lesion had a dermatology consult delayed for about 3 months. The resident’s chart included provider orders for dermatology follow-up, but the appointment remained pending while the lesion increased in size. Notes from the NP and unit manager documented ongoing waiting for the consult, and the DON stated the health plan should have scheduled it and that consults need to be scheduled in a timely manner.

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 Follow Hold Parameters for Metoprolol
D
F0684 F684: Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Short Summary

A resident with HTN and HF had an order for metoprolol succinate to be held if the pulse was below 55 bpm, but MAR and pulse record review showed missing pulse documentation on multiple occasions, pulse checks done after the med was given, and doses administered when the pulse was less than 55 bpm. Staff stated the pulse should have been checked before administration, and the DNS confirmed the expectation was to follow the order and hold the med when indicated.

Inspection fine: $17,665
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.
Citation search

Search every citation & Plan of Correction

Go to search
Citation watch

Track new serious citations across Pennsylvania

Get a heads-up on the newest immediate-jeopardy (J–L) citations in Pennsylvania — where surveyors are focused right now.

Free · about one email a month

Trusted data from CMS and state health departments

Every citation, penalty and Plan of Correction is sourced from public CMS records (latest release July 29, 2026) and official state health department websites — never guesswork.

In your survey window? See what surveyors are citing.

The Survey-Prep Report maps your facility's risk from 12 months of CMS and state citation data — what's being cited around you and what to check first. $129 one-time.

Get the Survey-Prep Report
An unhandled error has occurred. Reload 🗙