F0684 F684: Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
K

Failure to Notify Providers and Recheck Out-of-Range Blood Glucose Values

Whitehall Borough Post AcutePittsburgh, Pennsylvania Survey Completed on 05-07-2026

Summary

The facility failed to notify physicians of elevated and decreased capillary blood glucose (CBG) values and failed to assess residents for hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia for 7 of 36 residents. The deficiency was identified through review of facility policies, manufacturer instructions, clinical records, and staff interviews, and was cited as Immediate Jeopardy under 28 Pa. Code: 211.12(d)(1)(3)(5) Nursing services. Resident R3 had diagnoses of diabetes and dementia and had physician orders for Humalog with sliding scale coverage and instructions to follow the hypoglycemic protocol if blood glucose was below 70 mg/dL and to call the MD if over 380 mg/dL. The resident’s blood sugar record showed multiple low and high readings without documentation of notification, follow-up, or recheck, including values such as 56, 41, 64, 49, 57, 50, 434, 58, 60, 67, 385, 68, 402, 401, 411, 47, 58, 51, and 464 mg/dL. Several entries noted that snacks were given or insulin was held, but there was no documented recheck or provider notification. Resident R17 had diagnoses of diabetes and COPD and orders directing staff to follow the hypoglycemic protocol for blood glucose below 70 mg/dL and to notify the provider if over 450 mg/dL. The blood sugar record showed repeated low readings, including 69, 68, 67, 64, 61, 57, 55, 48, and 64 mg/dL, as well as no documentation of notification or recheck. Resident R64 had diabetes and heart failure and orders to treat hypoglycemia and notify the MD if blood glucose was below 70 mg/dL, and to notify the MD if above 341 mg/dL or above 400 mg/dL after a later order change. The record showed high readings of 412, 402, and 437 mg/dL and low readings of 64 and 66 mg/dL without documented notification or follow-up, except one note about refusal of insulin. Resident R84 had diabetes and multiple sclerosis and orders to follow the hypoglycemic protocol if below 70 mg/dL and notify the provider if over 380 mg/dL. The record showed a 64 mg/dL reading with a note that the resident was asymptomatic and to recheck 2.5 hours later, and a 60 mg/dL reading with no documented notification or recheck. Resident R116 had diabetes and heart failure and orders to follow the hypoglycemic protocol if below 70 mg/dL and notify the provider if over 340 mg/dL; the record showed 67 mg/dL readings with no documented notification or recheck. Resident R145 had diabetes and osteomyelitis and orders to notify the provider if blood sugar was below 70 or over 380 mg/dL; the record showed multiple low readings, including 69, 64, 61, and 62 mg/dL, with no documented notification or recheck except one entry stating the provider was notified. Resident R148 had diabetes and hemiplegia and orders with sliding scale insulin and unclear directions for hypoglycemia protocol and MD notification; the record showed high readings of 404, 358, 427, 381, and 377 mg/dL without documented notification or recheck.

Penalty

Inspection fine: $45,050
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.

Resources

Below are regulatory guidelines relevant to this citation:

See other F0684 citations
Failure to Follow Care Plan for Protective Sleeve
D
F0684 F684: Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Short Summary

Failure to Follow Care Plan for Protective Sleeve: A resident with severe cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and PVD had a care plan directing staff to keep protective sleeves on the left elbow at all times due to skin tear risk. During repeated dining room observations, the resident was not wearing the sleeve. A NA said she did not apply it because the resident would remove it and chew on it, and an RN said he was unaware the sleeve was not being worn.

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.
Failure to Follow Wound Care Orders and Dressing Documentation
D
F0684 F684: Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Short Summary

Failure to follow wound care orders and dressing documentation requirements was cited for multiple residents. A resident had a skin tear dressed without a physician order, another resident had a knee dressing with no date or initials, and a third resident had a dated dressing and pain patch that did not reflect the ordered treatment schedule. The DON and wound care RN acknowledged that dressings and treatments should be completed as ordered and that dressings are expected to be dated and initialed.

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.
Failure to Follow Ordered Treatments and Weight Monitoring
E
F0684 F684: Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Short Summary

Failure to Follow Ordered Treatments and Weight Monitoring: The facility did not ensure ordered care was carried out for several residents. One resident with Parkinson’s disease and anxiety sustained a skin tear to the hand during an agitated episode, but there was no physician order for the wound treatment that was provided. Two residents had ordered weekly weights that were not obtained as scheduled, and the records did not explain why. Another resident with HTN, depression, and DM had body blisters, but the wound company’s recommendation for skin prep was not entered as an order, and there was no documented evidence that the practitioner was contacted about the missed recommendation.

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.
Failure to Follow Insulin Orders
E
F0684 F684: Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Short Summary

Failure to Follow Insulin Orders: Two residents with diabetes received insulin contrary to physician orders. One resident was given insulin aspart at times when blood glucose was below the ordered hold parameter, and a second resident received scheduled insulin without documented meal intake despite orders to hold if blood sugar was low or if less than 50% of the meal was eaten. The DON confirmed the medication administration did not follow the orders.

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.
Failure to Follow Bowel Management Protocol
E
F0684 F684: Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Short Summary

Failure to follow bowel management protocol: three residents had extended periods without a BM and no documented nursing interventions despite the facility’s protocol requiring specific measures after 2, 3, 4, and 5 days without a BM. The residents had significant diagnoses including schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, TBI, and Alzheimer’s disease, and the RNC confirmed the missing BM-related interventions in the chart.

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.
Wheelchair Footrest Not Adjusted for Resident With Limited LE ROM
D
F0684 F684: Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Short Summary

A resident with dementia, severe cognitive impairment, limited ROM in both LEs, and dependence on staff for wheelchair locomotion was observed sitting in her wheelchair with her feet hovering above the footrests. CNAs confirmed her feet did not reach the footrests, and an administrative nurse stated the footrest needed to be adjusted to better fit and support her feet.

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.
Citation search

Search every citation & Plan of Correction

Go to search
Citation watch

Track new serious citations across Pennsylvania

Get a heads-up on the newest immediate-jeopardy (J–L) citations in Pennsylvania — where surveyors are focused right now.

Free · about one email a month

Trusted data from CMS and state health departments

Every citation, penalty and Plan of Correction is sourced from public CMS records (latest release October 8, 2026) and official state health department websites — never guesswork.

In your survey window? See what surveyors are citing.

The Survey-Prep Report maps your facility's risk from 12 months of CMS and state citation data — what's being cited around you and what to check first. $129 one-time.

Get the Survey-Prep Report
An unhandled error has occurred. Reload 🗙

Connection lost — reconnecting… We couldn't reconnect automatically. Please reload the page to continue.