Failure to Maintain Clean and Homelike Environment Due to Dirty Air Duct Registers
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide a clean and homelike environment in three of five residential halls, specifically Halls 200, 300, and 400. Observations revealed that six ceiling air duct registers across these halls were covered with small black spots, rust, and peeling paint chips, and one register was not securely fitted into the ceiling tile. These conditions were directly observed by surveyors during their walkthroughs. Interviews with the maintenance manager and housekeeping manager confirmed that housekeeping was responsible for cleaning the air duct registers, while maintenance was responsible for replacing them. However, both managers indicated that staff must submit a work order for maintenance to address issues, and there was a lack of proactive monitoring of the air duct registers' condition. The Director of Nursing (DON) stated that room rounds were conducted to check room conditions but admitted that air duct registers had not been specifically checked. Upon being shown the condition of one of the affected air duct registers, the DON acknowledged the importance of clean air duct registers for maintaining a homelike and healthy environment. Review of the facility's policy on maintaining a homelike environment confirmed the expectation for a clean, sanitary, and orderly setting, which was not met in this instance.