Dirty HVAC Units and Unclean Laundry Area
Summary
The facility failed to honor residents’ right to a safe, clean, comfortable, and homelike environment by not maintaining multiple air conditioners in a clean and sanitary manner. During an interview on the B wing, a resident stated that the facility’s air conditioners were moldy. When the dining room wall-mounted mini split was turned on, a distinct mildew smell was noted, and soft black debris was seen coming from the vents and landing on the piano below. Inspection of the unit showed black stains inside the vents and additional black debris, and there were 8 residents in the dining room at the time, including 3 residents seated adjacent to the unit. Facility staff and documentation reflected inconsistent maintenance of the air conditioners. The Administrator and DNS observed the dining room mini split with black debris and stains, while the Director of Maintenance stated the unit may have been overlooked and that an outside company serviced the air conditioners, though he was not sure when they last came. The Monthly HVAC P.M. maintenance log indicated the first- and second-floor dining room and nursing unit HVAC units were cleaned monthly, with filters cleaned and coils inspected on two documented dates. However, the next day, an observation of all four nursing units identified 8 ceiling-mounted air conditioners with thick visible dust on the filters and black stains and debris in the vents, including units in all four nursing units. The Director of Housekeeping stated monthly maintenance included cleaning the outside and vacuuming the filters and said he had cleaned all air conditioners on the documented dates, but also stated he had cleaned the dining room mini split only after being notified of the observed debris and stains. The laundry area was also observed to be unclean and cluttered with multiple items and surfaces in disrepair or covered with dust. Surveyors observed a dirty pitcher with dried substance, a clean mop head on the floor, uncovered clothes and medical equipment in the same room as clean laundry dryers, uncovered sheets and towels on a rack, thick dust on pipes, dirty curtains waiting to be cleaned, a yellow mop bucket with rags and liners, an old washing machine frame filled with a trash bag containing used clothing and other items, a visibly soiled open door to an outside area, uncovered racks of resident clothing, dusty blinds, a dusty air conditioner, a dirty mop, uncovered bins with resident clothing items, cobwebs on windowsills, an inactive wired phone system in the storage area, and a wall-mounted fan with dust on the blades. Staff stated housekeeping was responsible for the laundry area, and a housekeeper said the items in the washing machine room belonged to expired residents and had been there for at least over 1 month. The facility’s personal laundry and handling policy required clean linen to be covered for storage and transport, but the observed laundry area included uncovered clean items and soiled conditions.
Penalty
Resources
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