F0688 F688: Provide appropriate care for a resident to maintain and/or improve range of motion (ROM), limited ROM and/or mobility, unless a decline is for a medical reason.
E

Failure to Provide Ordered PT Services

Novato Healthcare CenterNovato, California Survey Completed on 07-04-2026

Summary

The facility failed to provide ordered PT services for seven of eleven sampled residents who had active PT orders and recent PT evaluations documenting the need for skilled therapy to improve or maintain mobility, strength, range of motion, gait, balance, and safety awareness. A census report dated 7/2/26 showed no residents listed under PT, while an order listing report dated 7/3/26 showed 11 residents with active PT orders. Interviews with the SLP, DON, OT, and Administrator confirmed the facility had no current DOR, PT, or PTA, and that residents were not receiving PT services as ordered. Resident 3 was admitted with bilateral below-the-knee amputations and gait and mobility abnormalities, had a BIMS of 15, and had an active PT order for 5 times per week for 4 weeks. The PT evaluation stated skilled PT was needed to increase independence with walking, lower extremity ROM and strength, minimize falls, and promote safety awareness. During interview, the resident stated PT had been renewed but no sessions had been received since the last PT quit, and the resident needed therapy to practice stairs and strengthen use of new prosthetics. Resident 4 was admitted with a displaced comminuted fracture of the left patella, difficulty walking, and osteoarthritis, had a BIMS of 15, and had an active PT order for 5 times per week for 4 weeks. The PT evaluation documented balance deficits, decreased functional capacity, pain, strength impairments, and need for skilled PT to increase gait independence, LE ROM and strength, and reduce falls. The resident stated PT had stopped for at least a few weeks and no staff had discussed the interruption, and the resident was spending more time in bed because of continued trouble walking. Resident 5 was admitted with peripheral neuropathy, muscle weakness, and difficulty walking, had a BIMS of 12, and had an active PT order for 3 times per week for 4 weeks. The PT evaluation stated skilled PT was needed to increase walking independence, LE ROM and strength, and reduce falls. The resident stated PT had not been received for 1.5 weeks, wanted to go home, and said there was no current PT to reassess safety for discharge. Resident 6 was admitted after left hip replacement with gait and mobility abnormalities, had a BIMS of 15, and had an active PT order for 3 times per week for 4 weeks. The PT evaluation stated skilled PT was needed to increase walking independence, LE ROM and strength, and reduce falls. The record showed OT orders were added on 7/3/26 in addition to the PT order. The resident stated OT had just started, but PT was needed to stabilize, decrease fall risk, and increase strength, and that OT could not replace PT. Resident 7 was admitted with low back pain, muscle weakness, and abnormal gait and mobility, had a BIMS of 13, and had an active PT order for 3 times per week for 4 weeks. The PT evaluation stated continued PT was needed to increase LE ROM and strength, minimize falls, and promote safety awareness. The resident stated PT had not been received for a couple of weeks because the facility did not have any PT, and the resident felt he was not progressing. Resident 8 was admitted with bilateral above-the-knee amputations, had a BIMS of 13, and had a PT evaluation recommending 3 times per week for 4 weeks to increase functional activity tolerance, LE ROM and strength, reduce falls, and develop a restorative nursing program. The order listing and order summary reports showed active PT orders. The resident stated she had not received PT or OT in weeks, was waiting on physician review for prosthetics, and felt she was becoming much weaker. Resident 9 was admitted with a left femur fracture, degenerative disc disease with back and extremity pain, and osteoporosis, had a BIMS of 15, and had an active PT order for 3 times per week for 4 weeks. The PT evaluation stated continued PT was needed to increase functional activity tolerance, LE ROM and strength, and reduce falls. OT orders were revised as a late entry on 7/3/26. The resident stated PT stopped after only 2 to 3 sessions and said she could not walk and was upset that progress had stopped. Facility staff confirmed the rehab department had no current DOR, PT, or PTA, that OT was being used for residents who needed PT, and that there had been no discussion of transferring residents who required complex PT. The Administrator stated the facility had found a telehealth PT but did not have PTA staff to complete exercises with residents, and confirmed residents had not received PT. The facility also did not provide requested policies on rehabilitative services, following physician orders, or maintaining resident mobility.

Penalty

No penalty information released
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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

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See other F0688 citations
Failure to Maintain Restorative Mobility Program
E
F0688 F688: Provide appropriate care for a resident to maintain and/or improve range of motion (ROM), limited ROM and/or mobility, unless a decline is for a medical reason.
Short Summary

Failure to Maintain Restorative Mobility Program: A resident with Parkinson's disease and limited mobility was supposed to receive restorative walking twice daily, but documentation showed the program was inconsistently offered and the distance walked declined over time. Staff said they sometimes lacked time to complete the program and would chart NA, and there was no documented report of the decline to the restorative nurse or MD.

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 Maintain ROM With Ordered Splint Use
D
F0688 F688: Provide appropriate care for a resident to maintain and/or improve range of motion (ROM), limited ROM and/or mobility, unless a decline is for a medical reason.
Short Summary

Failure to Maintain ROM With Splint Use: A resident with hemiplegia/hemiparesis and a contracted hand had an OT-recommended resting hand splint program, but there was no physician order, no care plan, and no evidence of a splint application program. The resident said staff rarely applied the splint and that it had become painful to use because the hand had stiffened; staff interviews showed inconsistent awareness of the splint recommendation, and the DON stated she had no idea the resident was supposed to wear a splint.

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 Consistently Provide Ordered Restorative ROM Services
E
F0688 F688: Provide appropriate care for a resident to maintain and/or improve range of motion (ROM), limited ROM and/or mobility, unless a decline is for a medical reason.
Short Summary

Failure to Consistently Provide Ordered Restorative ROM Services: Staff did not consistently carry out physician-ordered restorative ROM programs for three cognitively intact residents with mobility limitations. One resident with muscular dystrophy, one with diabetes and gait instability, and one with right-sided weakness all had ordered active and/or passive ROM through all joints and planes, but documentation showed multiple missed or unexplained not-applicable entries and variable treatment times. Residents reported the exercises were not being provided as ordered, and an NA stated ROM was sometimes done only incidentally during routine care rather than as the formal restorative program ordered by the physician.

Inspection fine: $16,350
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 Document and Follow Ordered Hand Splint Use
D
F0688 F688: Provide appropriate care for a resident to maintain and/or improve range of motion (ROM), limited ROM and/or mobility, unless a decline is for a medical reason.
Short Summary

A resident with cognitive impairment and unilateral extremity impairment had a physician order for a resting hand splint to the R hand for up to 3 hours daily, 5 days a week, with skin checks and premedication if needed. Staff observed the splint off the resident and on the bedside drawer during one observation, and RNA documentation did not show when the splint was applied or removed or how long it was tolerated; the RNA stated he did not document those times.

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 Consistently Implement Contracture Management
E
F0688 F688: Provide appropriate care for a resident to maintain and/or improve range of motion (ROM), limited ROM and/or mobility, unless a decline is for a medical reason.
Short Summary

A resident with stroke, hemiplegia/hemiparesis, encephalopathy, severe cognitive impairment, and contractures of all extremities did not consistently receive ordered/expected contracture management. Observations showed no washcloths or offloading devices in place on the hands or wrists, while staff gave conflicting accounts about whether the devices were ordered, who was responsible for applying them, and whether they were used all the time. Therapy staff said the resident had become more contracted after returning from the hospital and that they were trying to maintain ROM, but the resident’s hands and arms were not consistently positioned with the devices described in the care plan.

Inspection fine: $19,635
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 Provide Restorative Nursing Services for Resident with Limited Mobility
D
F0688 F688: Provide appropriate care for a resident to maintain and/or improve range of motion (ROM), limited ROM and/or mobility, unless a decline is for a medical reason.
Short Summary

A resident with limited mobility, heart failure, and low back pain had a care plan for active ROM twice daily and ambulation with a front wheeled walker and CGA, but chart review showed no documented evidence that these services were provided over several months. The resident said walking depended on staff availability, and the OT and DON stated the facility did not currently have a restorative nursing program in place, so no active ROM or ambulation orders were implemented.

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.
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