Failure to Maintain Safe Operating Condition of Resident and Kitchen Equipment
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain essential equipment in safe operating condition in both patient care areas and the kitchen. Observations revealed that two sampled patient bathrooms had significant issues: one bathroom had a toilet that ran constantly after flushing and a very loose, broken toilet seat, while another had a hot water faucet that would not turn off and a discolored, broken toilet seat. The maintenance aide, who had been employed for one month, confirmed these issues during rounds but did not have documentation or records of repairs or daily rounds. Maintenance repair logs at the nurses' stations did not contain any repair requests for these issues. Both the maintenance aide and a housekeeper acknowledged the danger posed by broken toilet seats, including the risk of resident falls and injury. In the kitchen, multiple pieces of equipment were found to be in disrepair. All four racks in the main refrigerator were rusty, the ice maker was not working, one of four food warming trays was broken and had been nonfunctional for four weeks, and one of three food preparation tables was unsteady and appeared weak. Additionally, one food preparation table was missing, and there was no light in the walk-in freezer. Staff interviews confirmed that the ice maker had been broken for several days without ice being purchased, and the broken food warmer and missing table had not been addressed for weeks. The maintenance aide was aware of these issues but did not keep formal records, relying instead on informal notes and awaiting approval for replacements. Facility policies reviewed indicated that the maintenance department is responsible for keeping all areas, equipment, and grounds in safe and operable condition at all times. The policies also require the development and maintenance of a schedule for maintenance services and the prompt repair or replacement of equipment to ensure safety. Despite these policies, the lack of documentation, delayed repairs, and ongoing equipment failures in both resident and dietary areas contributed to the deficiencies identified during the survey.