Obstructed Egress and Unsanitary Hallways
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified that the facility failed to maintain safe, unobstructed, and sanitary corridors and exits, affecting the environment for residents, staff, and the public. In the west hallway between specified rooms, surveyors observed multiple pieces of equipment on both sides of the corridor, including a large covered laundry cart, a blue straight-back chair, a dirty linen cart, a housekeeping cart, and a medication cart where a nurse was preparing medications. These items blocked the handrails on both sides and made the hallway impassable for a wheelchair user or a person using a walker, despite this being the hallway leading to the main dining room. In a separate area, an emergency exit in the east hall (Mary's Place) was blocked by two large wheelchairs, a bucket of bird food, and a vital sign machine, obstructing the path of egress. The Administrator and an RN confirmed these observations, and review of the facility’s “Means of Egress” policy showed that it required all emergency egress paths and exits to be clear, unobstructed, and free of furniture or other objects. Additional environmental deficiencies were observed in the main, east, and west hallways. Surveyors noted missing plaster from wall corners, a buildup of dirt along the floors and baseboards, large brown stains on multiple ceiling tiles, broken ceiling tiles in all three hallways, and one ceiling tile with a large brown stain and a black, mold-like appearance in the center. A portion of the ceiling containing a large light had a water stain extending from around the light across the ceiling. Three ceiling vents were coated with dirt and debris, with two appearing rusty, and balls of lint, dirt, and debris were hanging between several ceiling tiles. The Maintenance Director confirmed the dirty floors, broken and soiled ceiling tiles, and dirty vents, and reported that the stained tile with the mold-like appearance had been replaced several times but the stain kept returning. An anonymous source also reported that a resident using a wheelchair had difficulty getting through the hallways due to carts of towels, beds, and other items blocking the way.
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