Failure to Provide Required RN Coverage
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure the presence of a Registered Nurse (RN) for at least eight consecutive hours a day, seven days a week, as required by regulation. Review of Payroll-Based Journal (PBJ) Staffing Data and facility nursing schedules revealed that on multiple specific dates, there was no evidence that an RN was onsite for the required hours. The facility did not have any staffing waivers in place during this period. The absence of RN coverage was confirmed through the lack of supporting timecards or payroll documentation for the identified dates. Interviews with the Director of Nursing (DON) and the Administrator confirmed ongoing staffing issues and the lack of a consistently scheduled RN. The DON stated she was not employed during the period in question but acknowledged that RN coverage should have been provided according to regulations. The Administrator also confirmed that there were no staffing waivers and that an RN should be present daily for at least eight hours.