Failure to Maintain Safe and Sanitary Facility Entrance
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain a safe, functional, and sanitary environment for residents in the area outside the building. Observations made by the surveyor revealed that the front of the facility was unkempt, with long weeds present along the building, under residents' windows, along fencing, and around trees. The area also contained an open dumpster with garbage bags, lacking a complete privacy fence on one side facing the main parking lot and public roadway. Additional items observed included two plastic chairs, one holding dried cardboard, a garbage can labeled for laundry without a lid and containing items, and a pile of dry dirt and landscaping bark along the path to the front doors. Three garbage cans were present at the entrance, one with a stained lid, and exposed wires were seen where a doorbell was missing near the main entrance. During staff interviews, it was confirmed that the front doors, which were supposed to be locked during the night shift for safety, were not locked within the required timeframe. The Nursing Home Administrator acknowledged that staff were aware of the need to lock the doors, but the process for auditing door security had not yet been implemented. The administrator also confirmed that the dumpster should have been closed. These conditions had the potential to affect more than 4 of the 28 residents residing in the facility.