F0725 F725: Provide enough nursing staff every day to meet the needs of every resident; and have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift.
D

Insufficient Nursing Staff and Delayed Resident Care

Gardner Rehabilitation And Nursing CenterGardner, Massachusetts Survey Completed on 02-02-2026

Summary

The facility failed to provide sufficient nursing staff on the East Two Unit and South Two Unit to meet resident needs and maintain resident safety and well-being. On the East Two Unit, staffing was short on the evening shift when only one CNA was present for 23 residents for a period of time, and a nurse stated she was occupied with new admission tasks. During that time, Resident #121, who had dementia, abnormal weight loss, mild protein calorie malnutrition, and an active order for a pureed diet, was seated in the dining room while no staff remained present to supervise residents eating. Another resident placed fish sticks and tater tots in front of Resident #121, and the surveyor observed no staff in the dining room until later, when the food items were removed and a pureed meal tray was brought to the resident. On the East Two Unit the next morning, Resident #108, who was incontinent of bowel and bladder, dependent on two staff for bathing, dressing, bed mobility, and personal hygiene, and at risk for skin impairment, was observed seated in a wheelchair in the dining room for several hours. The surveyor did not observe staff offer repositioning, check for incontinence, or provide incontinence care during the observed period. A CNA stated that Resident #108 required another staff member to assist with getting back to bed using a mechanical lift for incontinence care, that there were usually only two CNAs for the unit, and that there was not enough time to provide rounds for incontinence care until after lunch. A nurse stated that incontinence rounds and repositioning were to be completed approximately every two hours and that Resident #108 should have received both. On the South Two Unit, Resident #109, who was cognitively intact, dependent on staff for toileting hygiene, and always incontinent of bladder and bowel, requested incontinence care after telling a nurse that he/she needed to be changed. The nurse called for CNA assistance multiple times, and the resident waited while staff were busy. A CNA walked past the resident's room while the call light was on, and the resident stated that staff had not yet assisted with incontinence care. Two CNAs eventually entered the room 37 minutes after the resident first reported needing to be changed. Staff interviews confirmed that the resident required two staff for incontinence care and that the unit was short one CNA that morning, despite the schedule showing three CNAs assigned.

Penalty

No penalty information released
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The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.

Resources

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See other F0725 citations
Insufficient Nursing Staffing Led to Delayed Care and Missed Assistance
F
F0725 F725: Provide enough nursing staff every day to meet the needs of every resident; and have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift.
Short Summary

Insufficient nursing staffing led to delayed toileting help, delayed meal assistance, and transfers done outside assessed needs and policy. A resident who was dependent for toileting and transfers was left in bed crying, incontinent, and told to stay in bed and pee her pants until staff could return, while another resident waited 45 minutes for help eating in the dining room. Surveyors also found repeated weekend staffing shortages, and staff described frequent short staffing, late or missing staff, and reliance on agency and float staff.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Insufficient staffing to provide ordered one-to-one supervision
E
F0725 F725: Provide enough nursing staff every day to meet the needs of every resident; and have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift.
Short Summary

Insufficient staffing prevented the facility from providing ordered one-to-one supervision for two residents after resident-to-resident incidents. Observations showed the residents without staff supervision, and interviews with the Staffing Coordinator and DON confirmed the facility could not consistently implement the care-planned supervision because of staffing shortages and competing supervision needs.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Inadequate staffing and supervision led to unmet resident care needs and resident-to-resident altercations
E
F0725 F725: Provide enough nursing staff every day to meet the needs of every resident; and have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift.
Short Summary

Inadequate staffing and supervision resulted in unmet care needs and resident-to-resident altercations. A male resident with dementia who was exit seeking and wandered into other residents’ rooms required more 1:1 oversight than staff could provide, and staff reported they were unable to keep him safe while covering other duties. He was involved in multiple altercations with another resident when staffing was short. A second resident who required 2-person transfer assistance experienced repeated call light delays, with staff turning off the light before completing care and a 54-minute wait for transfer assistance. Staff and residents reported frequent call-offs, long wait times, missed breaks, and difficulty meeting resident needs when the unit was short-staffed.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Insufficient Nursing Staff and Delayed Resident Care
E
F0725 F725: Provide enough nursing staff every day to meet the needs of every resident; and have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift.
Short Summary

Insufficient nursing staff led to delayed call light response and resident care needs not being met. Residents reported waiting 30 to 40 minutes or longer for toileting and other assistance, with some soiling themselves or being left in wet briefs. Staff and resident council concerns, grievances, confidential complaints, and observations of unkempt residents and incomplete shower documentation supported the finding. The NHA and DON confirmed the facility was short staffed and unable to consistently meet resident needs.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Insufficient Licensed Nursing Staff and Missed Medications
F
F0725 F725: Provide enough nursing staff every day to meet the needs of every resident; and have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift.
Short Summary

The facility failed to provide enough licensed nursing staff to meet resident needs and have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift. The staffing schedule and time records were inconsistent, and interviews showed the facility was short multiple LPN/RN hours across shifts after several call-offs and partial coverage from agency and sister-facility nurses. Staff and residents reported that there was no nurse on the 100 hall for much of the day, resulting in missed meds, delayed BG checks, and an insulin omission for a resident whose BG later measured 441.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Delayed Call Light Response and Staffing Shortages
D
F0725 F725: Provide enough nursing staff every day to meet the needs of every resident; and have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift.
Short Summary

Delayed call light response was identified for two residents who were totally dependent on staff for ADLs. One resident with quadriplegia reported waits of 30 minutes or more for help and missed repositioning, while another resident with spinal cord dysfunction, quadriplegia, and a suprapubic catheter reported waits of up to 4.5 hours, delays in being cleaned after BMs, and missed bed baths. Staff and the DON reported frequent call-offs, short staffing on multiple shifts, and response times often far beyond the facility’s expected 15-minute standard.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
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