Failure to Timely Obtain and Report Stat Lab Results for Resident with GI Bleed and Anemia
Summary
A deficiency occurred when the facility failed to ensure that a stat (immediate) laboratory order for a Complete Blood Count (CBC) was carried out as ordered for a resident with a history of gastrointestinal bleeding, anemia, and low hemoglobin. The resident exhibited symptoms including increased confusion, fatigue, drowsiness, and black tarry stools, which prompted the physician to order a stat CBC. Despite the urgency, there was a significant delay in obtaining the blood specimen and in communicating the stat nature of the order to the laboratory. The delay was caused by miscommunication among licensed nursing staff across multiple shifts. The nurse who contacted the laboratory did not specify that the order was stat, resulting in the blood draw being attempted many hours after the order was placed. When the resident refused the blood draw, there was no documentation that the physician or responsible party was notified, and the order was not promptly followed up. Additionally, when the laboratory eventually obtained a critical result, multiple attempts to notify the facility were unsuccessful because staff did not answer the phone, further delaying the reporting of the critical value. As a result of these failures, the resident's critical laboratory results were not obtained or reported in a timely manner, and the physician was not notified of the resident's refusal or the critical results. This led to a delay in necessary medical intervention, and the resident was ultimately transferred to a general acute care hospital, where he required a blood transfusion and was admitted to a telemetry unit due to his unstable condition.
Removal Plan
- Update Resident 1's Alteration for Hematological care plan for lab orders and nursing interventions to include observing, reporting, and documenting signs and symptoms of anemia, monitoring vital signs every day and as needed, and notifying the Medical Doctor via phone of abnormalities.
- Notify the MD via phone if abnormal labs are reported or the patient refuses lab work, and document the lab report and orders in the patient’s chart under progress notes.
- Track pending labs and results via the communications tab in Point Click Care, verbal reports from nurse to nurse, and progress notes documented in Point Click Care. If results are late, the nurse will call the lab to follow up, and if no result is available, the MD will be notified for further orders. If the patient’s MD doesn’t respond timely, the Medical Director will be notified.
- Audit and review residents with STAT lab orders for residents with diagnoses of Anemia, GI bleeding, and low hemoglobin.
- Review and update care plans for residents with diagnoses of Anemia, GI bleeding, and low hemoglobin to reflect lab orders and nursing interventions including observing, reporting, documenting signs and symptoms of anemia, monitoring vital signs every day and as needed, and notifying the MD via phone for abnormalities.
- Provide all licensed nurses in-service training on STAT lab orders policy and procedures, timely reporting of labs, timely reporting of Change of Conditions and resident refusals to physicians, how to correctly communicate accurate orders to the lab to obtain STAT lab blood draws timely, following care plans for residents, follow up procedure for all STAT lab orders, facility policy and procedure for lab results, physician orders and Change of Condition, and how to properly endorse resident status to oncoming shifts.
- Use verbal endorsements and a written endorsement log between shifts to communicate pending labs and orders.
- Complete audit of the endorsement log and Point Click Care communications of all new STAT lab orders daily to ensure orders are completed and results are obtained in a timely manner.
- Review prior to daily stand up meeting any Change of Condition and/or refusal of the resident using the endorsement log and Point Click Care to ensure staff communicate with the physician to allow the physician to assess the resident’s care needs and give instructions for treatment.
- Complete an audit of all STAT lab orders daily using the endorsement log and Point Click Care to ensure that orders are followed up and results obtained in a timely manner.
- Complete audit of new STAT lab orders daily using Point Click Care to verify the communication between the lab and the nurse matches the physician’s order. This is to ensure orders are communicated accurately to the lab to obtain STAT lab blood draws, and results are obtained in a timely manner.
- Audit residents’ new or changed care plans pertaining to lab work or Change of Conditions during daily stand-up meetings. The Interdisciplinary Team will review and update care plans as needed to ensure they follow lab orders and that nursing interventions are measurable.
- Complete an audit of all STAT lab orders daily to ensure orders are followed up on, and results are obtained in a timely manner.
- Complete an audit of all STAT lab orders daily to ensure lab test results are completed and results are obtained and reported in a timely manner. Audit any Change of Conditions and new physician orders prior to daily stand-up meetings to ensure physician orders and Change of Condition policy and procedure are followed correctly.
- Audit the shift endorsement log and Point Click Care communications daily to ensure that facility staff are endorsing resident status and Change of Conditions to oncoming shifts for continuity of care.
- Report the findings of the audits to the Quality Assurance meeting monthly until sustained compliance is achieved for at least one month, then quarterly for 6 months or according to the Quality Assessment and Assurance committee to ensure STAT lab orders are completed and results obtained and reported in a timely manner.
Penalty
Resources
Below are regulatory guidelines relevant to this citation:
Failure to notify the physician of an elevated PSA result and document follow-up. A resident with schizophrenia and depressive disorder had a PSA of 18.2 ng/mL, but the chart showed no documentation that the MD was notified of the abnormal lab. Notes later referenced urology referral and appointment scheduling, but the DON/ADON could not identify documented notification or timely follow-up in the EMR.
A resident with COPD, DM2, and infection risk developed nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, and an NP ordered stat CBC/CMP and stool testing for C. difficile. The lab reported the stool result as detected, but the facility did not review and notify the NP until about 17 hours later. Nursing notes and interviews showed the result was not checked promptly despite expectations that lab results be reviewed each shift and reported immediately.
A resident with G-tube status, chronic respiratory failure with hypoxia, and a subdural hematoma had a sputum culture showing heavy growth of ESBL-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae, but the record did not show that the attending MD or pulmonologist was notified. The nursing notes lacked documentation of notification or follow-up orders, and the SBAR COC addressed only G-tube dislodgement, not the critical lab result.
Failure to obtain ordered TSH monitoring for a resident receiving levothyroxine. A physician ordered repeat TSH testing for low thyroid hormone, but the lab was not completed and the resident continued on therapy without the ordered monitoring. The consultant pharmacist later recommended a TSH recheck, yet the record showed no documentation that the lab had been obtained. The ADON, DON, and physician all stated the TSH order should have been placed or completed.
A resident with an abdominal wound, ileostomy, and history of sepsis had a wound culture that grew E. coli, but the result was not promptly reported to the ordering practitioner. Staff documented the culture result, discussed the resident’s pain and redness, and noted the resident asked about antibiotics, yet the NP was not notified until several days after the lab finalized. Interviews with the wound care nurse, LPN, NP, DON, ADON, and Administrator confirmed the delay in communication and treatment.
A resident with ASHD and HF was receiving Atorvastatin, Furosemide, and KCl ER, with ordered routine CMP and lipid panel monitoring. The record showed the required labs were not obtained when due, and RN and DON/ADON interviews confirmed the CMP and lipid panel were missed for the month without surveyor intervention.
Failure to Notify Physician of Elevated PSA Result
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to notify the physician of an elevated PSA laboratory result for one resident and failed to document physician notification or timely follow-up after the abnormal result was identified. The resident was admitted with diagnoses including schizophrenia and depressive disorder, and later assessments showed the resident required supervision or touching assistance for toileting hygiene and oral hygiene. The resident’s record showed a PSA result of 18.2 ng/mL from a laboratory test dated 1/28/2026. Subsequent progress notes and physician notes repeatedly referenced the PSA as outside the reference range and documented a referral to urology. The resident’s care plan also identified the PSA level as elevated and included a urology consult for evaluation and treatment. Appointment notes later showed scheduling and rescheduling of a urology appointment, and one appointment was canceled because the resident was unable to sign consent forms and was under conservatorship. During concurrent interview and record review, an LVN stated the physician should have been notified of the abnormal PSA result and that notification should have been documented in the progress notes. The record review revealed no documentation that the physician had been notified of the elevated PSA level. The ADON stated nursing staff were responsible for reviewing lab results, notifying the physician, and documenting the notification, but she could not identify who notified the physician or when because there was no documentation in the electronic record. She also stated there was no documentation that the conservator had been contacted after the urology appointment was canceled, and that no repeat PSA or follow-up laboratory tests were ordered.
Delayed Notification of Positive C. difficile Lab Result
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to promptly notify the ordering practitioner of abnormal laboratory results for one resident who had been admitted with diagnoses including acute respiratory failure, COPD, legal blindness, anxiety, and type 2 diabetes. The resident was also identified as being at risk for infection or recurrent/chronic infection related to a compromised medical condition. Her care plan directed staff to report changes in condition to the MD as clinically indicated. The resident developed nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, and an NP approved stat CBC/CMP and a stool specimen for C. difficile testing. Nursing documentation shows the stool specimen was collected and sent to the lab, and the NP was later told the stool culture was still pending. The lab received the specimen and reported the result to the facility at 9:47 p.m., with the result showing C. difficile detected. However, the facility did not review the result until 2:50 p.m. the next day, approximately 17 hours after the result was sent to the facility. When the result was finally reviewed, nursing documented that the NP was notified and a new order for vancomycin and contact precautions was received. Interviews with nursing leadership and staff indicated that lab results were expected to be checked each shift, but the positive C. difficile result was not acted on in a timely manner. The facility’s own education on critical laboratory value reporting stated that critical lab values must be received by a licensed nurse, verified, reported immediately to the provider, documented completely, and acted upon without delay.
Failure to Notify Physician of Critical Sputum Culture Result
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure the physician was notified of an abnormal laboratory result for one resident. The resident was admitted with diagnoses including gastrostomy status, chronic respiratory failure with hypoxia, and nontraumatic subdural hematoma. A sputum culture collected from the resident showed heavy growth of ESBL-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae, and the final result was approved and called to a nurse as a critical sputum culture result. However, the nursing progress notes did not show documentation that the attending physician or pulmonologist was notified of this critical result, and there was no documented evidence of follow-up instructions or treatment orders in response to the finding. The resident’s SBAR change of condition report documented a separate issue of G-tube dislodgement and transfer to the hospital, but it did not identify or address the critical sputum culture result. During interviews, the Operations Manager and DON stated that critical infection-related laboratory results should be reported to the physician, documented in the nursing progress notes, and communicated through a change of condition report. The DON reviewed the sputum culture and confirmed that the pulmonologist should have been notified and that a COC should have been completed, but the record review did not show that this occurred.
Failure to Obtain Ordered TSH Monitoring
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure physician-ordered laboratory services were provided for Resident #13, who was receiving levothyroxine for low thyroid hormone. A physician order dated 06/26/2025 directed that TSH be repeated in three weeks, but review of the medical record showed the ordered TSH laboratory test was not obtained. The resident continued levothyroxine therapy without the ordered thyroid monitoring, and review of the consultant pharmacist’s monthly medication regimen review dated April 2026 recommended a TSH recheck in six months to one year, with no documentation that the laboratory monitoring had been completed. Physician progress notes from January 2026 through July 2026 did not show that the original TSH order had been discontinued or modified. During interviews, the ADON stated the resident’s last TSH was obtained in 2024 and was unsure why follow-up testing had not been completed, the DON stated she would have expected the TSH order to have been entered, and Physician #1 stated the TSH order should have been placed.
Delayed Reporting of Positive Wound Culture
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that abnormal lab results were promptly reported to the ordering practitioner for one resident. The resident was admitted with diagnoses including surgical aftercare following digestive system surgery, diverticulitis, sepsis, and an open abdominal wound. Her care plan identified risk for skin breakdown related to a new ileostomy, indwelling catheter, and impaired mobility, with instructions to observe for signs of infection or delayed healing and report them to the physician as needed. The resident was cognitively intact with a BIMS score of 15. On 6/22/26, the wound care nurse observed excessive drainage from the abdominal wound during dressing care, noted the ileostomy site was soiled, and notified the MD, who ordered a wound culture. The specimen was collected on 6/22/26, received by the lab on 6/23/26, and resulted positive for Escherichia coli on 6/25/26 at 12:14 p.m. Nursing documentation showed the resident later complained of pain and redness at the site, and on 6/27/26 the resident asked about antibiotics and was told the culture result was being reviewed and that the upcoming nurse should message the MD in the morning. The positive culture was not communicated to the NP until 6/28/26, when the wound culture result was reviewed and new orders were obtained for a midline/PICC and ertapenem. The resident stated she believed she was already receiving antibiotics and said she was told the culture was positive and placed in the file without follow-up to the doctor. Staff interviews confirmed the delay: the wound care nurse said she assumed the resident knew about antibiotics, the LPN said she did not know the culture was pending, the NP said she was first notified on 6/28/26 and should have been notified right away or the next morning, and the DON, ADON, and Administrator all confirmed the delay in reporting and treatment.
Missed Ordered CMP and Lipid Panel Monitoring
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure ordered laboratory testing was obtained for a resident with a history of ASHD and heart failure who was receiving Atorvastatin 40 mg at bedtime, Furosemide 40 mg twice daily, and Potassium Chloride ER 20 mEq every morning. The physician had ordered a CMP every three months in March, June, September, and December, and a lipid panel every six months in June and December. The lab order for routine monitoring was provided on 05/20/26, but the resident’s record showed the last CMP was obtained on 04/14/26 and there was no evidence that a CMP or lipid panel was obtained in June 2026. During interview, RN #160 stated that lab orders were entered into the computer, appeared on the TAR when due, and the night shift nurse would review the TAR and complete lab slips for the labs to be drawn by the hospital lab technician. She reported the lab slips for the day had already been filled out and denied any labs were due that day for the resident. The DON and ADON were asked for documentation of any CMP or lipid panel obtained for the resident, and the ADON provided only the 04/14/26 CMP. She denied that a CMP or lipid panel had been obtained in June 2026 and acknowledged the resident’s CMP and lipid panel would have been missed for that month without surveyor intervention.
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