Failure to Provide Adequate Linens and Maintain Cleanliness
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide a safe, clean, comfortable, and homelike environment for residents by not ensuring an adequate supply of clean linens and by not maintaining clean floors in resident rooms, hallways, and the main dining room. Multiple residents reported not receiving showers or bed baths due to a lack of clean linens, and this issue was corroborated by staff interviews and direct observation of insufficient linen supplies in storage areas. Staff described ongoing problems with linen shortages, confusion over responsibilities for ordering and stocking linens, and instances where stained linens were discarded without attempts to clean them. The director of nursing was unaware that the linen shortage was affecting resident care, and the nursing home administrator did not know the current par levels for linens. Observations revealed that the linen storage closet contained very few clean linens, and the laundry room had no clean linens being folded or stored at the time of inspection. Staff interviews indicated that the shortage of linens had been an ongoing issue, particularly after a change in facility ownership, and that staff often had to improvise by using blankets in place of towels. There was also a disconnect between laundry and floor staff, with the laundry room being locked on weekends and unclear communication about linen availability and responsibilities. In addition to linen shortages, the facility failed to maintain clean floors in resident rooms, hallways, and the main dining room. Observations documented visible debris, dried spills, dust, and wheelchair tracks in these areas. Housekeeping staff reported limited staffing, with only one housekeeper on some days, and cleaning schedules that did not ensure daily cleaning of all areas. The maintenance supervisor and housekeeper both expressed uncertainty about the frequency of deep cleaning and whether the dining room was cleaned after each meal, raising concerns about the adequacy of cleaning practices throughout the facility.