Failure to Maintain Effective Pest Control and Screen Integrity
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain an effective pest control program as required by its own policy, resulting in flies and gnats being present inside the building. Multiple staff members, including LVNs and CNAs, reported seeing gnats and flies in residents' rooms, particularly where food and drinks were present. Staff indicated that the process for reporting pest sightings involved notifying the Maintenance Department, but observations revealed ongoing issues. The facility's trash dumpster was observed to be uncovered and overflowing, which likely contributed to the pest problem. Additionally, staff interviews confirmed that it was their responsibility to ensure window and door screens were closed and that fly lights were operational, but these measures were not consistently maintained. Several residents reported seeing flies and gnats in their rooms, with some attempting to remove the pests themselves. Observations confirmed the presence of live flies and gnats in common areas such as the conference room. Interviews with nursing and maintenance staff highlighted the importance of pest control, especially for residents in the Subacute Unit who are immobile, unresponsive, and unable to protect themselves from pests. The facility's policy required that windows be screened at all times, but this was not consistently enforced, leading to the entry of insects into resident areas.