Failure to Maintain Effective Pest Control in Resident Rooms
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain an effective pest control program to ensure resident rooms were free of pests, specifically roaches and gnats, in two of five resident rooms reviewed. One resident with cerebral palsy, major depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder, and with moderate cognitive impairment (BIMS score of 11), reported the presence of “little black flies” around his bed. During observation, the surveyor saw gnats around this resident’s bed, and the resident stated it was hard to sleep at night because of the flies around his head. Another resident in the same room reported that the flies did not bother him. Another resident, diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and mild neurocognitive disorder with a BIMS score of 9 indicating moderate cognitive impairment, reported that she had roaches in her room and that they kept coming back. She stated that the roaches were everywhere in her room and refrigerator and that she had spoken with the Administrator about the roaches. At the time of the surveyor’s observation of this room, no roaches were seen in the bedroom or bathroom, and the roommate denied seeing roaches recently. A separate resident reported seeing the same type of small black flies in her room but stated they did not bother her because they did not bite. Staff interviews and record review showed ongoing pest concerns and uncompleted recommendations from pest control reports. The Dietary Manager reported being told by staff that the resident with Parkinson’s had a roach problem. The Maintenance Director acknowledged that the resident’s refrigerator had previously been full of roaches and that there had been reports of gnats throughout the facility. Pest prevention service reports over several months documented recommendations for caulking and sealing around toilets and sinks and replacing worn weather stripping on doors to prevent pest access, including specific recommendations for the room shared by the resident with Parkinson’s. During a walkthrough of that room, the surveyor observed that the recommended sealing of the toilet and sink had not been completed, and a pest control log the Maintenance Director was working on was blank. The surveyor did not receive the facility’s physical environment or pest control policy before exit.
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