Failure to Maintain Effective Pest Control Program
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain an effective pest control program, resulting in the presence of gnats, roaches, house flies, and fruit flies throughout the building. Multiple residents reported daily encounters with gnats and roaches in their rooms, with direct observations confirming the presence of these pests on privacy curtains, tray tables, and side tables. Staff interviews corroborated the ongoing issue, with both nursing and housekeeping personnel acknowledging the daily presence of live pests in resident rooms and common areas. Additionally, a roach was observed crawling in a hallway, and a significant number of gnats were seen in a resident's room during maintenance staff observation. In the tracheostomy unit, multiple observations documented house flies and fruit flies flying around and landing on various surfaces. One resident, whose room was adjacent to an exit door leading outside, was found to have a tracheostomy and stoma infested with fly larvae, necessitating hospital transfer. The facility's policy stated an environment free of pests would be provided, but the ongoing pest infestation affected several residents and had the potential to impact all residents in the facility.