Failure to Ensure Physician Oversight and Orders for Wound Care
Summary
The facility failed to ensure physician oversight and orders were in place for care provided to three residents. The report states that the facility did not ensure residents were under a doctor’s care, and surveyors identified deficiencies involving wound care assessment, documentation, and treatment oversight for residents with pressure ulcers and other skin openings. For one resident with cerebral infarction, hemiplegia, aphasia, dysphagia, protein-calorie malnutrition, and severe cognitive impairment, the record showed a right heel pressure ulcer first noted when the resident complained of pain in the right foot. Treatment was started and changed over time, but weekly wound assessments and weekly skin sweeps were repeatedly missing for multiple weeks. The DON stated she had just completed a wound care assessment only after the surveyor brought the wound to her attention, and said she contacted the NP for new orders and discontinued old orders because of the ulcer’s status. The record also showed weekly skin sweeps without measurements and multiple gaps in weekly wound assessment documentation. For another resident with dementia, COPD, chronic pain syndrome, muscle weakness, gait abnormalities, and a chronic ulcer of the right foot, surveyors observed wound care being performed on the right foot and heel. The LPN treated a wound on the right 4th toe even though the record contained an order for the right great toe, not the 4th toe. During interview, the DON stated there was no order for the 4th toe because that was not the toe being treated, then acknowledged the great toe wound had healed but the order remained active. The DON also stated the facility did not have a wound care provider at that time, that weekly wound assessments and weekly skin sweeps were not being completed routinely, and that the existing assessments were not capturing all skin concerns. For a third resident with diabetes, protein-calorie malnutrition, COPD, ESRD, pancytopenia, cirrhosis, heart failure, fractures, PVD, GERD, thrombocytopenia, and depression, the admission/readmission assessment documented an open area on the right buttock, and later weekly skin sweeps documented open areas on the coccyx and left buttock. The record did not contain weekly wound assessment documentation, physician documentation of the wound, or evidence that the wound was included in the plan of care. The resident was observed with an open wound near the coccyx, and the DON measured it during the survey and identified it as a stage 2 pressure ulcer. The DON confirmed that the treatment order was not in place until after the wound was identified, that weekly skin sweeps and wound assessments were not completed as required, that the physician had not documented the wound, and that the care plan did not include the pressure ulcer or interventions.
Penalty
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Below are regulatory guidelines relevant to this citation:
A facility failed to ensure physician orders were in place for residents admitted to the Alzheimer's secure care unit, and one resident also lacked a qualifying dementia diagnosis for that placement. Records showed several residents in the secure unit without the required order, while staff interviews confirmed the admission nurses, nurse managers, ADON, and DON were responsible for obtaining and monitoring those orders. The DON stated the orders had not been properly entered into the system, and the MD said residents admitted to secure units should have physician orders and a medical diagnosis of dementia before placement.
Failure to Obtain Physician Orders for Weight Monitoring: A resident with chronic respiratory failure, ventilator dependence, heart failure, and obesity had a major unplanned weight gain over several months, but the chart showed no physician notification, no orders for daily/weekly/monthly weights, and no documented follow-through on weight monitoring. CNA, LPN, and RD interviews confirmed the resident was not on a weight-monitoring list and no physician orders were present in the record.
A resident developed a Stage 3 sacral pressure ulcer that was documented by nursing and the wound NP, but the resident’s primary MD and facility NP repeatedly failed to identify or assess the wound during multiple visits. The facility policy required the attending physician to evaluate and document wound healing, and the DON confirmed the concern. The NP stated she did not include the wound in her notes because the wound team was following it.
A resident with several weeks of itching and self-inflicted scratches to the arms and hands was observed actively scratching with deep scratches present, while documentation showed repeated episodes of pruritus and open skin areas. Nursing staff had previously obtained a short course of Triamcinolone cream and later left messages for the physician requesting systemic medication (cetirizine) and reporting continued scratching and inflamed areas, but no new orders or documented physician response were received despite multiple calls and faxes. This resulted in the resident not being under timely physician supervision or receiving updated treatment in response to ongoing symptoms.
A resident with a g-tube, moderate cognitive impairment, and multiple chronic conditions had care planning and provider orders that did not address several aspects of tube feeding and medication management. The care plan lacked details for actual coccyx skin breakdown, refusal of care, fluid-volume imbalance, HOB elevation timing, and monitoring for hypercalcemia, hypothyroidism, and hyperparathyroidism. Orders also lacked directions for electrolyte monitoring, I&O, fluid balance, medication interactions, adverse-effect monitoring, and when to notify the provider if the resident refused meds or treatments. The PA stated she relied on consultants and pharmacy for monitoring and was unsure of the electrolyte schedule or the nutrition team’s involvement.
A resident admitted after hip fracture repair, who was cognitively intact and full code, developed hypotension, unresponsiveness, and worsening respiratory status over the course of a morning. An LPN contacted a PCP who was not on call and obtained orders for IV fluids while the resident remained unresponsive with abnormal vital signs and escalating oxygen needs. The PCP later stated he did not recall the case, believed he had only been told about low blood pressure, and indicated he would have ordered ER transfer if informed of unconsciousness and respiratory decline. The DON stated that timely sepsis recognition and response is a nursing standard and acknowledged the transfer was not timely, while the facility’s President of Operations reported there was no policy on physician services or supervision. EMS documented a primary impression of sepsis with hypotension, and the death certificate listed sepsis as the cause of death.
Missing physician orders and qualifying diagnosis for secure unit placement
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure physician orders were in place for residents admitted to the Alzheimer's certified secure care unit and failed to ensure one resident had a qualifying diagnosis for placement in that unit. Resident #7 had diagnoses including Parkinsonism, dementia, bipolar disorder, Alzheimer's disease with late onset, major depressive disorder, and anxiety, but the physician orders reviewed did not include an order to admit her to the secure care unit. Resident #9 had diagnoses including major depressive disorder, dementia, and anxiety, but likewise had no physician order to admit her to the secure care unit. Resident #44 had dementia and no physician order to admit her to the secure care unit was found in the record. Resident #24 was observed in the 400 hall Alzheimer's secure care unit even though her diagnoses did not include Alzheimer's disease or another related dementia. Her admission MDS showed moderate cognitive impairment, but Section I of the MDS did not indicate Alzheimer's disease or non-Alzheimer's dementia. Her physician orders also did not include an order to admit her to the secure care unit, and her care plan did not address secure unit placement. The report states the DON later obtained a diagnosis for Resident #24 on the day of the interview, but that diagnosis and order had not been obtained before she was placed in the secure unit. Observations showed Resident #7 and Resident #9 in the 100 hall Alzheimer's secure care unit and Resident #24 and Resident #44 in the 400 hall Alzheimer's secure care unit. Interviews with the LVN, ADON, DON, RCN, ADMN, and MD confirmed that residents on the secure units should have physician orders and qualifying diagnoses, and that the admission nurses, nurse managers, ADON, and DON were responsible for obtaining and monitoring those orders. The DON stated the orders for Resident #7, Resident #9, Resident #24, and Resident #44 had not been properly entered into the system, and that Resident #24's qualifying diagnosis and order should have been obtained before admission to the secure unit.
Failure to Obtain Physician Orders for Weight Monitoring
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure Resident #18’s care was adequately supervised by a physician by not obtaining, initiating, or implementing physician orders for weight monitoring despite significant documented changes in nutritional status and body weight. Resident #18 was admitted with chronic respiratory failure, ventilator dependence, and heart failure, and her care plan identified her as having a high BMI related to obesity with interventions to observe, monitor, and report changes, follow physician orders, and monitor weights. Her weight increased from 398.9 lbs to 557.8 lbs over about five months, but there was no documentation of physician notification or orders for daily, weekly, or monthly weights, and no comprehensive assessment or monitoring was documented in response to the change. The record also showed that nutrition assessments dated 10/31/25 and 01/23/26 were identical and did not reflect updated recommendations despite the resident’s ongoing nutritional risks and marked weight gain. A progress note documented a weight of 573 lbs after hospitalization, yet no physician notification or follow-up orders were documented. A later nutrition review noted a BMI of 90 and stated the weight gain required confirmation with daily weights, but there were still no corresponding physician orders, attempts to obtain orders, or weight-monitoring follow-through. CNA #570, LPN #513, and RD #630 confirmed the resident was not on a weight-monitoring list, had no orders for daily, weekly, or monthly weights, and the RD verified no physician orders were present in the medical record.
Failure to Assess and Document a Resident’s Pressure Ulcer
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that a resident’s primary care provider(s) assessed and monitored a Stage 3 sacral pressure ulcer after it was identified by nursing staff and the wound NP. The resident’s medical record showed a new sacral pressure ulcer documented by nursing assessment and a Stage 3 pressure ulcer documented by the wound NP. The resident was then seen multiple times by the primary care MD and the facility NP over the following months, but their progress notes did not identify or assess the pressure ulcer in the physical examination, assessment and plan, or diagnoses sections. The facility policy stated that the attending physician and nursing staff would assess and document significant risk factors for pressure sores and that the physician would evaluate and document wound healing during resident visits, especially for complicated, extensive, or non-healing wounds. During interview, the DON acknowledged that the resident’s primary care provider was responsible for overall care and confirmed the concern that both the MD and NP failed to identify or assess the pressure ulcer during their visits. The NP stated she saw everyone, was one of the resident’s primary care providers, and admitted she had not included the wound in her notes because the wound team was following it.
Failure to Obtain Timely Physician Response for Ongoing Pruritus and Skin Injury
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to ensure that a physician supervised and provided consultation or treatment after being contacted regarding a resident with ongoing pruritus and self-inflicted skin injuries. During an interview and observation, the resident reported itching for about three weeks, stated they had requested medication to help, and was observed scratching both arms, which showed deep scratches on the upper and lower arms. The resident’s care plan documented multiple episodes of self-inflicted scratches to the hands and forearm over several weeks, with interventions directing staff to report abnormalities, failure to heal, and signs and symptoms of infection or maceration to the physician. Record review showed that on 3/27/2026 a verbal order was received to restart scheduled Triamcinolone cream to the right arm and left shin daily for 14 days. A skin/wound note dated 4/5/2026 documented that the resident continued to have pruritus to all extremities, with one open area on the left hand and no signs of infection, and that a message was left for the provider questioning the need for systemic medication (cetirizine) to ease the pruritic issue and assist with sleep. A communication note dated 4/11/2026 documented a call to update the physician that there were no changes to the areas on the arms and legs and that the resident continued to scratch and areas remained inflamed, with staff “waiting on updated orders,” but no physician response or new orders were documented. In interviews, an RN and the DON confirmed there had been a delay in physician response despite multiple calls and faxes and that the physician had not yet responded to the request for treatment for this resident’s ongoing scratching and skin issues.
Failure to Manage G-Tube Care and Medication Monitoring
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure a physician assistant appropriately managed the care of a resident who required nutrition and hydration via a gastrostomy tube and who had complications related to tube feedings and medication administration through the g-tube. The resident had moderate cognitive impairment, used a walker, and required assistance with several activities of daily living. Her care plan addressed tube feeding and some general skin and incontinence issues, but it did not identify actual skin breakdown on the coccyx, refusal of cares and treatments, risk for fluid-volume imbalance, specific head-of-bed elevation requirements during and after tube feedings, or symptoms and monitoring related to hypercalcemia, hypothyroidism, and hyperparathyroidism. The resident’s orders included Vital Advanced Formula via g-tube, scheduled water flushes, and multiple medications administered through the g-tube, including levothyroxine, prednisone, iron-vitamin liquid, folic acid, apixaban, metoprolol tartrate, senna, cinacalcet, omeprazole suspension, and ascorbic acid. The physician orders lacked directions for monitoring electrolytes, accurate intake and output, fluid balance related to tube feedings and free water, medication interactions, prevention of adverse effects, ongoing monitoring for nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, and when staff should notify the provider if the resident refused medications or treatments. During interviews, the physician assistant stated the resident had a complicated GI tract and hyperparathyroidism causing hypercalcemia, and that symptom management was the primary direction of care because she was no longer a surgical candidate. The physician assistant also stated she did not plan to order follow-up bloodwork because she thought consulting services would monitor electrolytes, was unsure of the electrolyte monitoring schedule, was unsure how involved nutrition services were, and had not directly communicated with the consultant pharmacist about medication timing in relation to tube feedings. Another provider stated facility providers were expected to manage calcium levels after discharge and that medication interactions and administration times should be assessed by the facility provider and pharmacist.
Failure to Provide Adequate Physician Supervision During Resident’s Significant Change in Condition
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to ensure adequate physician supervision and direction for a resident who experienced a significant change in condition. The resident had been admitted following surgical repair of a hip fracture and was documented on the admission MDS as cognitively intact, fully oriented, and able to communicate needs, with a full code status. On the night before the event, the resident’s vital signs and neurological status were documented as stable, with no physical concerns noted. On the following morning, the resident developed hypotension, first identified around 6:27 a.m., when the weekend on‑call provider was contacted and ordered holding aspirin and antihypertensives, testing stool for blood, and hourly blood pressure checks. By 7:30 a.m., the resident’s blood pressure had further declined, he was unresponsive to verbal stimuli, and his oxygen saturation was low on room air. Throughout the morning, nursing documentation showed that the resident remained unresponsive, with persistent hypotension, tachycardia, and declining respiratory status requiring escalating oxygen support. The LPN caring for the resident contacted the resident’s PCP, who was not on call, and obtained orders for IV fluids at 100 ml/hr and later additional IV fluids, which were implemented while the resident’s unresponsiveness and abnormal vital signs continued. The PCP reported that he did not recall the resident or the specific calls but stated he was not on call that day and believed he was likely only informed about low blood pressure, not about unresponsiveness or declining respiratory status. He stated that if he had known the resident was unconscious with worsening respiratory status, he would have ordered immediate transfer to the ER. The DON stated that sepsis recognition and rapid response are a nursing standard in the facility and acknowledged it would be very hard to say the resident was transferred in a timely manner. The facility’s President of Operations reported that the facility did not have a policy regarding physician services or supervision. EMS records later documented a primary impression of sepsis with hypotension, and the resident’s death certificate listed sepsis as the cause of death.
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