Persistent Urine and Fecal Odors and Stained Carpets Compromise Homelike Environment
Summary
The facility failed to maintain a safe, clean, comfortable, and homelike environment free from persistent urine and fecal odors and with carpets in good repair. Surveyor observations over multiple days showed strong odors and visibly stained carpeting in multiple areas. On one day of observation, upon entry there was a very strong smell of air freshener throughout the lobby, with C hallway carpeted and showing several stained areas and a strong air freshener smell, two resident rooms with strong urine odors, and B hallway carpet with several stained areas and a faint urine smell masked by strong air freshener. On subsequent days, surveyors noted a strong urine odor throughout the lobby, a strong urine odor throughout the entire A hallway, and a strong urine and feces odor near the B hallway nurses’ station. One resident room had a strong urine and feces odor and several areas of stained carpet. On another day, surveyors again noted urine odors in the lobby and A hallway, and urine odors in B hallway masked by strong air freshener. During interview, the Housekeeping Supervisor reported there were two floor technicians who rotated cleaning carpets daily using a floor extractor and odor cleaning agent, and that carpets on each hall were cleaned every two to three days. The supervisor stated that odors in the facility were usually related to the floors, that one resident on A hall would not allow staff into the room and that room had very strong odors, and that certain residents frequently spilled urinals, making floor cleaning a constant battle. The supervisor also stated some aides routinely sprayed a “spring time” air freshener to help with odors. The Administrator stated there was no policy specific to odors, that she expected staff to find and eliminate the source of any odor, that carpets were cleaned daily on a rotating basis and as needed for spills, and that she expected the facility to be homelike, including being odor free. The facility’s housekeeping policy stated that no dust, no spots, no smudges, and no smells equaled clean, but persistent odors and stained carpets were still present throughout multiple areas of the building.
Penalty
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