Failure to Maintain Effective Pest Control Program
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain an effective pest control program, resulting in the presence of roaches in the rooms of two residents. One resident, a female with cerebral palsy, congenital ear malformation, and a mood disorder, was found by a nurse to have roaches crawling on her bedroom floor, bed, and wheelchair while she was sitting in her wheelchair. The nurse and a CNA observed roaches on the blanket the resident was sitting on and on her wheelchair, prompting them to remove her from the room for cleaning. The resident's care plan indicated she was dependent on staff for meeting her needs and had communication difficulties due to a hearing deficit and unclear speech. Progress notes and staff interviews confirmed repeated sightings of roaches in her room, with food crumbs frequently found on the floor and bed, and the resident often refusing to allow staff to remove her meal trays. Another resident was observed to have a small live roach on the floor near the doorway of his bedroom. During interviews, housekeeping staff confirmed the presence of roaches and stated that despite regular spraying, the pests continued to return. The Director of Maintenance reported treating the affected room on several occasions and consistently finding German roaches, especially when moving furniture and checking outlets. Pest control invoices and records showed that the facility had pest control services performed monthly and additional treatments were requested for the affected rooms, but the problem persisted, particularly in the room of the first resident. Staff interviews revealed that the pest control measures in place were not effective in eliminating the infestation, especially in rooms where food was present and not promptly removed. The ongoing presence of roaches was documented through observations, staff reports, and pest control invoices, indicating a failure to ensure the facility was free of pests and rodents as required.