Failure to Maintain Clean and Sanitary Shower Rooms
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified that the facility failed to maintain a safe, clean, comfortable, and homelike environment in two of five shower rooms reviewed. Observations revealed that one shower room had a strong odor of urine, overflowing soiled linen and trash bins, a toilet bowl with visible feces and urine, dried red spots on the floor, and a dirty shoe insole left on the sink counter. Another shower room had five brown smudges of varying sizes on the tiled floor of one shower. These unsanitary conditions were confirmed by both the Director of Environmental Services and staff interviews. Interviews with CNAs and residents indicated that CNAs were responsible for cleaning the shower rooms after each use, including removing any bodily fluids or soiled materials, and notifying housekeeping for further sanitization. However, residents reported that the shower rooms were often messy, with dirty towels left on the floor and, in some cases, feces observed in the shower. Staff acknowledged the risk of infection and contamination if the showers were not properly cleaned between uses, and described their process for cleaning and notifying housekeeping, though lapses in this process were evident. Further, the Director of Environmental Services and the DON stated that while housekeeping cleaned the shower rooms daily, CNAs were expected to clean up after each use. The Administrator confirmed that CNAs were required to keep the showers sanitary and clean immediately after use. Despite these expectations, the facility did not have a written policy regarding the cleanliness of the facility or shower rooms, and no such policy was provided upon request by surveyors.