Failure to Maintain Clean and Sanitary Common Hallway Floors
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to maintain clean and orderly front and rear common hallways, which are heavily used by residents, visitors, and staff. On multiple observations, surveyors noted that the front common hallway floor between two resident wings had numerous stains, dirt, debris, and dried fluid or water spots too numerous to count, with dirt and debris pushed into wall corners and under a water fountain alcove. A repeat observation days later showed the same conditions persisted, with continued traffic by residents, staff, and visitors through the area. Similar conditions were observed in the rear common hallway between two resident wings, where surveyors again found multiple areas of stains, dirt, debris, and dried fluid or water spots, along with dirt and debris pushed into corners and along the walls. Follow-up observations later in the week showed that these unsanitary conditions remained unchanged, despite ongoing use of the hallway by residents and staff traveling to and from the activities room and resident rooms. Interviews with facility staff confirmed that housekeeping staff were scheduled seven days a week and were expected to clean common areas first, including sweeping and mopping floors. However, the Housekeeping Director reported that a maintenance staff member, who normally only buffed floors, had been mopping the common hallways that week. During a walkthrough, this staff member was observed mopping over dirty fluid spots without removing them; the spots were easily removed by rubbing with a shoe, demonstrating inadequate cleaning. Both the Housekeeping Director and the DON stated that the floors still appeared dirty after mopping and that the condition of the floors throughout the facility was unacceptable. The Administrator also acknowledged dissatisfaction with the floor conditions and confirmed that the maintenance staff member was responsible for keeping the floors clean, noting that the floors needed to be cleaner and that more effort was needed to remove dirt, debris, and fluid spots during mopping.
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