Deficiency in Staffing Levels Leads to Delayed Resident Care
Penalty
Summary
The facility was found to be deficient in providing sufficient nursing staff to ensure resident safety and maintain the highest practicable physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being of each resident. During the recertification survey, it was observed that the facility did not meet its assessed minimum staffing needs on multiple occasions between February 15, 2025, and April 13, 2025. Specifically, the facility's staffing schedule showed that on ten occasions, the number of Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) hours provided was significantly below the required hours based on the facility's census. For example, on March 11, 2025, with a census of 88 residents, the facility required 215.6 hours of direct CNA care but only provided 136 hours. Residents reported during interviews that the facility was short-staffed at times, leading to long wait times for care and call bells not being answered promptly. A group resident meeting revealed that staffing was particularly low on weekends, with only one or two aides per unit. The Director of Nursing acknowledged awareness of the federal regulation regarding required CNA hours per census and stated that staffing adjustments were attempted when there were call-ins. However, the facility faced challenges in filling staffing gaps due to a small pool of additional staff, attributed to their remote location.