Failure to Maintain Cleanliness of Medical Equipment and Provide Smoke-Free Environment
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified that a resident with severe cognitive impairment, quadriplegia, and multiple complex medical conditions, including a feeding tube, was living in an environment that was not maintained in a clean and sanitary manner. Observations on multiple occasions revealed that the resident's tube feeding pole had a dried brown substance, consistent with dried Nutren, on the feet of the pole. The family reported scraping dried substances off the floor near the pole, and an LPN confirmed the presence of the dried substance. These findings indicate that the equipment and surrounding area used for enteral feeding were not kept clean as required. Additionally, another resident with paraplegia, who was cognitively intact and dependent on a wheelchair, reported that the designated smoking area for residents was located outside her window. She stated that cigarette smoke entered her room through the heating/air conditioning unit, causing the smell to permeate her clothing and leaving black spots. Despite the administrator's request for residents to smoke further away, observations confirmed that multiple residents continued to smoke near her window, and staff verified that the room's ventilation system drew in outside air, including cigarette smoke, when in use.