Failure to Notify Providers and Recheck Out-of-Range Blood Glucose Values
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
Resources
Below are regulatory guidelines relevant to this citation:
Trusted data from CMS and state health departments
Every citation, penalty and Plan of Correction is sourced from public CMS records (latest release July 29, 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.