Failure to Maintain Required RN Coverage
Summary
The facility failed to use the services of an RN for at least eight consecutive hours a day, seven days a week. A review of the facility’s April, May, and June 2025 nursing schedules showed multiple days when no RN was scheduled in the building, including 4/12/25, 4/13/25, 4/27/25, 5/11/25, 5/25/25, 5/26/25, 6/17/25, 6/21/25, 6/22/25, 6/28/25, and 6/29/25. The facility’s Staffing policy stated that the facility would employ appropriately qualified staff, including RNs and LPNs, and that adequate coverage would be determined by routine staffing schedules and additional staffing needs as determined by the charge nurse, DON, or NHA. During interview, the DON confirmed there was no RN in the building on the listed dates and stated she was on-call and available by phone to assist the LPN if an RN assessment was needed. The CEO and DON stated the facility had not had RN coverage seven days a week for eight consecutive hours each day for as long as the CEO was aware. The CEO said the facility was actively recruiting RNs through job postings, social media, and newspaper advertisements, offered sign-on bonuses, covered 80% of health insurance premiums, and offered shift differentials, but still had not obtained consistent RN coverage. The CEO also stated the facility had attempted to obtain a federal staffing waiver and believed the state staffing waiver did not cover the federal requirement.
Penalty
Resources
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