Prairie Mission Retirement Village
Inspection history, citations, penalties and survey trends for this long-term care facility in Saint Paul, Kansas.
- Location
- 242 Carroll Street, Saint Paul, Kansas 66771
- CMS Provider Number
- 175468
- Inspections on file
- 18
- Latest survey
- July 16, 2025
- Citations (last 12 mo.)
- 3
Citation history
Health deficiencies cited at Prairie Mission Retirement Village during CMS and state inspections, most recent first.
Multiple residents were exposed to accident hazards due to staff failing to use wheelchair footrests during transport, not providing safe transfer assistance, leaving medications and hazardous items at bedside without proper assessment, and not implementing effective fall prevention interventions. These actions and omissions resulted in unsafe conditions and increased risk of injury.
A resident with end-stage renal disease, Down's syndrome, and dementia did not receive required post-dialysis assessment and monitoring after returning from hemodialysis. Staff failed to document vital signs, assess the dialysis access site, or monitor the resident's condition as required by facility policy and physician orders.
A resident with severe cognitive impairment and anxiety was administered Ativan at a higher dose than ordered on multiple occasions. The medication error occurred when a nurse gave 0.5 mg instead of the prescribed 0.25 mg, contrary to physician orders. The error was identified after the fact, and the resident did not experience adverse effects.
A resident with severe cognitive impairment and hypertension had a PRN order for clonidine to be given if systolic BP exceeded 170. The medication was never administered, and BP readings did not meet the threshold, but the order remained active for several months. Facility policy required discontinuation of unused PRN BP meds after 30 days, but this was not followed.
Two residents with cognitive impairments who required staff assistance for dressing were observed wearing soiled clothing in communal areas, including the dining room, without timely intervention from staff to change them into clean attire. Staff acknowledged the residents' need for assistance and the facility's policy required residents to be kept clean and treated with dignity, but these expectations were not met.
Surveyors found that the facility did not accurately complete MDS assessments for two residents, resulting in inconsistencies between documented cognitive status, mobility, and range of motion. For one resident, the MDS did not reflect her actual limitations in lower extremity ROM and dependence on staff for mobility, as confirmed by care plans, EMR, and nursing staff interviews.
A resident with severe cognitive impairment and multiple mobility-related diagnoses was repeatedly observed in uncomfortable and unsafe positions in a Broda chair, including without footrests and with inadequate support to prevent leaning. Staff interviews confirmed that positioning devices were available but not consistently used or included in the care plan, and the facility could not provide a related policy when requested.
A resident with severe cognitive impairment and high dependence for mobility developed a new stage II pressure ulcer. Although wound care and supplements were provided as ordered, staff did not notify the Registered Dietician of the new ulcer, contrary to facility policy requiring RD involvement for nutritional screening when a stage II or higher pressure ulcer develops.
Failure to Prevent Accident Hazards and Ensure Safe Supervision
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure a safe environment free from accident hazards and did not provide adequate supervision to prevent accidents for multiple residents. For one resident with dementia and impaired mobility, staff propelled her in a wheelchair without using footrests, causing her feet to drag on the floor during transport. Despite the facility's policy requiring footrests to be applied before pushing residents in wheelchairs, staff did not follow this protocol, and the care plan lacked specific instructions regarding the use of footrests. Interviews with staff confirmed the absence of footrests and a lack of adherence to the policy. Another resident with severe cognitive impairment and limited range of motion required substantial to maximal assistance with transfers. Staff transferred her from her wheelchair to the toilet and back without ensuring she could bear weight, resulting in her feet sliding on the tile floor. The care plan indicated the need for two staff for transfers, but the facility did not have a policy for safe transfers, and staff were uncertain about the resident's ability to bear weight during transfers. This failure to provide appropriate, safe transfers placed the resident at risk for injury. Additional deficiencies included staff pushing another resident in a Broda chair without foot pedals, causing her feet to dangle or drag on the floor, and the lack of proper positioning equipment. For a resident with depression and a history of refusing care, medications such as Vicks VapoRub and potentially hazardous items like scissors were left at the bedside without a physician's order or a self-administration assessment, contrary to facility policy. Furthermore, a resident with repeated falls and moderate cognitive impairment did not receive effective fall prevention interventions. The facility relied on a motion sensor to alert staff, but staff response was inconsistent, and the intervention did not prevent falls. The care plan and staff interviews revealed a lack of new or effective interventions to address the resident's ongoing fall risk.
Failure to Provide Post-Dialysis Assessment and Care
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide appropriate post-dialysis care and services to a resident with end-stage renal disease, Down's syndrome, and dementia, who required hemodialysis three times a week. Physician orders required staff to measure the resident's blood pressure on dialysis days before leaving, assess the thrill in the resident's left arm twice daily, and follow a specific diet. While staff documented pre-dialysis care such as medication administration, blood pressure, weight, and thrill assessment, there was no documentation or evidence of post-dialysis assessment or monitoring upon the resident's return from dialysis. Progress notes only indicated the resident's absence and return from dialysis, without any post-dialysis assessment or vital sign monitoring. Observations and staff interviews confirmed that after dialysis, the resident was not assessed for vital signs, access site condition, or overall well-being, contrary to facility policy, which required post-dialysis assessment, including monitoring the access site for bleeding, ensuring blood pressure stability, and documenting vital signs. Staff, including CNAs, CMAs, and nurses, reported that no specific monitoring or assessment was performed after the resident returned from dialysis, and the facility's administrative nurse was unaware that post-dialysis assessment was required. This lack of post-dialysis care and documentation constituted a deficiency in providing safe and appropriate dialysis services.
Failure to Follow Physician Orders for Antianxiety Medication Administration
Penalty
Summary
A resident with a diagnosis of anxiety and severe cognitive impairment, as indicated by low BIMS scores on both annual and quarterly assessments, was prescribed Ativan (lorazepam) 0.25 mg by mouth twice daily and 0.5 mg by mouth in the evening for anxiety. The resident's care plan noted a tendency to become anxious in the evenings and the use of antianxiety medication. Despite these physician orders, the resident was administered Ativan 0.5 mg by mouth at times when only 0.25 mg was ordered, specifically on three occasions. The medication administration error was made by a licensed nurse, who did not notice the discrepancy until after the incorrect doses had been given. The facility's policy requires medications to be administered according to physician orders, but this was not followed in this instance. Documentation showed that the resident did not experience adverse effects from the incorrect dosing, and the error was later reported to the appropriate parties.
Failure to Discontinue Unused PRN Antihypertensive Medication
Penalty
Summary
A resident with a diagnosis of hypertension and severe cognitive impairment was prescribed a PRN antihypertensive medication, clonidine, to be administered by mouth every four hours as needed for systolic blood pressure greater than 170. Review of the resident's electronic medical record showed that the PRN medication had not been administered at any time from the date it was ordered through several months of monitoring. Weekly blood pressure readings documented in the record did not show any systolic blood pressure readings above 170 during this period. Despite the lack of use and absence of clinical indication, the PRN antihypertensive medication remained active in the resident's medication orders. Facility policy required that PRN blood pressure medications not used after 30 days be discontinued unless otherwise directed by the physician. Administrative staff confirmed that the medication should have been discontinued after 30 days of non-use, but this was not done, resulting in the resident not being free from unnecessary medications.
Failure to Maintain Resident Dignity by Not Assisting with Clean Clothing
Penalty
Summary
Two residents with cognitive impairments were observed wearing soiled clothing in communal areas, including the dining room, without timely assistance from staff to change into clean attire. One resident with severe dementia and substantial to maximal dependence on staff for dressing was seen multiple times throughout the day wearing a shirt with dried food and liquid stains, despite staff acknowledging her need for assistance and the facility's policy requiring residents to be clean and treated with dignity. The resident's care plan and medical records confirmed her dependence on staff for dressing, yet she remained in soiled clothing among her peers for an extended period. Another resident with moderate cognitive impairment and substantial to maximum assistance needs for dressing was also observed with a dirty, stained shirt on two separate occasions. Staff interacted with her and discussed her upcoming appointment without addressing her soiled clothing until prompted by a nurse, who then ensured her shirt was changed. Interviews with staff and review of facility policy confirmed the expectation that residents should be kept clean and treated with dignity, but this standard was not upheld in these instances.
Inaccurate MDS Assessments for Residents with Mobility and Cognitive Impairments
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified that the facility failed to complete accurate Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessments for two residents. For one resident with diagnoses including dementia, anxiety, and weakness, discrepancies were found between the MDS, care plan, and electronic medical record (EMR) regarding her cognitive status, mobility, and range of motion (ROM). The annual MDS documented intact cognition and independence with wheelchair mobility, while the Medicare 5-Day MDS indicated moderately impaired cognition and dependence on staff for mobility. The care plan and EMR further documented an unsteady gait and limited ROM in the lower extremities, which was not accurately reflected in the MDS. Administrative nursing staff confirmed the inaccuracy of the MDS regarding the resident's ROM limitation. The facility's expectation was for MDS assessments to be completed correctly, utilizing the Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) manual. However, the failure to accurately document the resident's limitations in the MDS resulted in an identified deficiency. The findings were based on observation, interview, and record review, and involved inconsistencies in the assessment and documentation of the resident's functional abilities and care needs.
Failure to Ensure Proper Positioning and Use of Support Devices
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency was identified when staff failed to assess and address proper positioning for a resident with multiple diagnoses, including dementia, chronic pain, neuropathy, arthritis, and low back pain. The resident had severely impaired cognition, was dependent on staff for mobility, and used a Broda chair for transport. Observations revealed the resident was left in uncomfortable and unsafe positions, such as sitting in the Broda chair without a footrest, resulting in her feet dangling or dragging on the floor, and leaning unsupported to one side. Staff interviews confirmed that positioning equipment like pillows and wedges were available but not consistently used or included in the care plan. Further review showed that the care plan noted the resident's need for assistance with mobility and the use of a Broda chair, but did not specify the use of positioning devices. Staff were observed not utilizing available foot pedals or positioning supports, and the facility was unable to provide a policy related to positioning when requested. These actions and omissions led to the failure to provide care in accordance with professional standards of practice for positioning, placing the resident at risk for increased pain and additional medical problems.
Failure to Notify RD of New Stage II Pressure Ulcer
Penalty
Summary
A resident with severe cognitive impairment and significant physical dependence developed a facility-acquired stage II pressure ulcer on her right gluteal area, proximal to the sacrum. At the time of the deficiency, the resident required substantial to maximal staff assistance for mobility and transfers, and was identified as being at risk for pressure ulcers. The resident's care plan and medical record documented the presence of the new stage II pressure ulcer, and wound care orders were implemented and followed, including cleansing, dressing changes, and administration of vitamin supplements. Despite these interventions, the facility failed to notify the Registered Dietician (RD) of the development of the new stage II pressure ulcer, as required by facility policy. Interviews with staff confirmed that the RD had not been informed of the wound, and dietary staff were unaware of the need to notify the RD when a new wound developed. The facility's policy specified that the RD should complete a nutritional screen for residents with a stage II or higher pressure ulcer, but this was not done in this case.
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Surveyors found that the facility failed to maintain sanitary food storage, handling, and dishwashing practices in the kitchen. Clean dishes were stored upright instead of inverted, and numerous food items in coolers, freezer, pantry, and spice racks were undated, missing the year, had unreadable dates, or showed visible mold, while some bags and containers were left open or unsealed. A dietary staff member handled ready-to-eat foods such as bread and butter with bare hands and repeatedly washed hands with water only, without soap or sanitizer, while preparing pureed meals for a resident. The low-heat dish machine repeatedly operated below the facility’s stated minimum wash temperature, as documented on the temperature log. These practices were inconsistent with the facility’s own food storage policy and staff’s stated expectations for glove use, labeling, sealing of food, dish storage, and dishwashing temperatures.
The facility did not employ a full-time Certified Dietary Manager (CDM) as required by its own Nutritional Services Policy, despite serving meals to 31 residents. A dietary staff member without CDM credentials was observed overseeing meal preparation, and both this staff member and an administrative nurse confirmed that the staff member was not certified, although enrolled in CDM classes. The policy specified that a CDM must oversee key functions such as menu planning, diet and diet manual with nutritional evaluations, office procedures for notifying the RD of new elders, food production, and food service, but no certified individual was fulfilling these responsibilities.
Surveyors found that the facility failed to follow professional standards for food storage and temperature monitoring. A freezer had significant ice buildup, and a refrigerator contained unlabeled, undated sliced cheese. Temperature logs for multiple freezers and refrigerators were incomplete over several days, despite policy requiring routine monitoring and documentation. The ice machine area contained extraneous items, including a plastic lid, a metal object on the floor, and a cup on the drain. In dry storage, several open food items, including pasta, noodles, gelatin, and pancake mix, were undated, unlabeled, or unsealed. Dietary staff confirmed these conditions, and the Dietary Manager later described expectations that all food be labeled, dated, and properly sealed per facility policy.
Surveyors found that staff did not consistently follow EBP, hand hygiene, and clean laundry handling practices. During tracheostomy care for a resident, a nurse wore gloves and a mask but did not don a gown or change gloves before placing clean gauze and the trach cannula. In a separate case, after completing wound care for another resident, the same nurse manipulated a suprapubic catheter tubing while still holding wound supplies and then left the room without performing hand hygiene. Additionally, a housekeeping/laundry staff member removed residents’ personal items from a covered cart and carried them over the shoulder between halls without keeping the items covered. These actions did not follow facility policies requiring targeted gown and glove use for high-contact care, proper hand hygiene around invasive devices and dressings, and keeping laundry carts covered between rooms.
A resident with hemiparesis, chronic osteomyelitis, and intervertebral disc disorder with radiculopathy experienced a fall in his room, was found on the floor near a heater with pain and bruising, and was later confirmed by mobile X-ray to have a nondisplaced fracture of the left superior pubic ramus. Despite this, the subsequent quarterly MDS documented no falls since the prior assessment and did not code the event as a fall with major injury, even though the care plan and progress notes described the fall and resulting fracture. An administrative nurse later acknowledged that the falls section of the MDS had been coded in error, contrary to facility policy and RAI manual requirements for accurate resident assessment.
A resident with severe morbid obesity, vascular dementia, anxiety, and a history of falls, but intact cognition per BIMS, was repeatedly assisted in a wheelchair by staff without foot pedals in place. On multiple observed occasions, staff pushed and turned the resident in the wheelchair while the resident held his feet off the floor and a sock was seen dragging on the floor. Interviews showed staff uncertainty and inconsistency regarding the requirement for foot pedals when assisting the resident, despite the resident’s documented fall risk and a facility falls policy requiring interventions to reduce fall risk.
A resident with Alzheimer’s disease, CKD, BPH, obstructive uropathy, and urinary retention had a suprapubic catheter that staff repeatedly secured incorrectly. During catheter care, two nurses cleaned the abdominal insertion site but attached the Stat-lock to the resident’s thigh, anchoring the tubing to the leg instead of the abdomen. Nursing leadership stated they expected leg anchoring and noted the catheter policy did not specify Stat-lock placement, even though the facility’s suprapubic catheter competency checklist explicitly directed that the tubing be secured to the abdomen.
A resident with dementia, severe cognitive impairment, and depression experienced unplanned weight loss after the RD documented a slow weight-loss trend and recommended house supplement shakes TID with added calories to meals. The facility entered and carried out the supplement order only once daily, and staff confirmed the resident received a shake only on second shift. Weight documentation showed a large, unverified increase followed by a re-weigh that demonstrated a 3.16% loss over a short period, and nursing staff did not promptly recognize or recheck the significant weight discrepancy. The RD was not informed that her TID recommendation had been effectively reduced to once daily, and the facility’s own weight-loss prevention processes were not followed.
A resident with chronic respiratory failure, a tracheostomy, and oxygen therapy orders did not have an Ambu bag or emergency tracheostomy kit readily available at the bedside, despite care plan directives for respiratory care, suctioning, and emergency response if the tracheostomy tube came out. Surveyors observed on multiple occasions that only oxygen and suction were present in the room, while the Ambu bag and emergency supplies were stored on a covered cart in the hallway under a Hoyer lift, requiring movement of equipment before use. Staff, including CNAs, an LN, and an administrative nurse, confirmed that emergency tracheostomy supplies were kept in the hallway or medication room and not at the bedside, and that they were instructed to call 911 rather than attempt reinsertion of the tracheostomy tube, even though the facility’s respiratory care policy required services in accordance with professional standards and the resident’s care plan.
The facility failed to coordinate hospice services within the care plans for two residents receiving hospice. Both residents had severe cognitive impairment and extensive ADL needs, and their MDS assessments documented hospice care. Their care plans included general directions about ADL assistance, pain monitoring, and consulting with hospice or the physician, but omitted key hospice-specific details such as hospice contact information, visit schedules, services to be provided, and what supplies, equipment, and medications hospice would furnish. Clinical record review and interviews with an administrative nurse confirmed that there was no documented coordination between hospice and facility care plans, contrary to the facility’s hospice policy requiring an interdisciplinary plan integrating hospice and facility services.
Unsanitary Food Storage, Handling, and Dishwashing Practices in Kitchen
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified a deficiency in the facility’s failure to maintain sanitary conditions for food storage and preparation in the kitchen. During an initial kitchen tour, they observed multiple clean containers and plates on the drying rack not inverted, leaving eating surfaces exposed. Numerous food items in the kitchen cooler, walk-in cooler, freezer, pantry, and spice rack were either undated, missing the year, had unreadable dates, or were past labeled use-by dates. Examples included cheese and ham slices with only month and day, multiple large containers of sauces, dressings, olives, cherries with visible black mold on the rim and lid, parmesan cheese, syrups, soy sauce, wing sauce, and green beans all lacking complete or legible dating. Additional findings included rusted and peeling cooler racks, open and unsealed bags of frozen foods and pantry items, and a rice bin with a handwritten prep date missing the year. Further observations showed improper food handling and hand hygiene practices by dietary staff. One dietary staff member handled ready-to-eat foods, including butter and bread for toast, with bare hands and then placed the toast on a tray for a resident. On another occasion, a partially wrapped package of cheese slices in the cooler was found without any date. The same dietary staff member was observed washing hands under running water without using soap or sanitizer on three separate occasions while pureeing food for lunch. The facility did not provide a hand hygiene policy specific to dietary staff when requested. Surveyors also reviewed the operation of the low-heat Ecolab dishwasher and its temperature logs. At the time of observation, the wash temperature was 102°F, and the April temperature log showed multiple days with wash temperatures below the documented minimum of 120°F at which the supervisor should be notified. Administrative and dietary staff later confirmed that gloves should be worn when handling ready-to-eat foods, all stored food should be sealed and labeled with month, day, and year, dishes should be inverted, and the dishwasher wash cycle should be at least 120°F. The facility’s existing Food Storage policy required staff to label all food items with the name and date opened or use-by date and to discard food past expiration, but survey findings showed these practices were not consistently followed in the kitchen.
Lack of Certified Dietary Manager Overseeing Food and Nutrition Services
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to employ a full-time certified dietary manager (CDM) to oversee food and nutrition services for 31 residents receiving meals from the facility kitchen. On one observed noon meal, the menu consisted of shrimp, cornbread, cooked sliced squash, rice, and yellow cake with chocolate frosting, and dietary staff member BB was observed overseeing preparation of this meal in the kitchen. During an interview, dietary staff BB confirmed she was not a CDM, stating she had enrolled in but not completed the certification classes. Administrative Nurse D also verified that dietary staff BB did not have dietary manager certification, although she had started the dietary certification classes. The facility’s Nutritional Services Policy, revised 01/21/26, documented that a certified dietary manager would oversee all kitchen procedures, including menu planning, diets and the diet manual with nutritional evaluations, office procedures related to notifying the Registered Dietitian of new elders, food production, and food service, but no such certified individual was in place at the time of the survey.
Failure to Properly Label, Store, and Monitor Food and Equipment Temperatures
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified a deficiency in the facility’s food storage, distribution, and service practices based on observations, record review, and staff interviews. In the kitchen, a white upright freezer had approximately one-quarter inch of ice buildup along the inside and shelves, and the kitchen refrigerator contained a plastic bag of sliced yellow cheese that was unlabeled and undated. Review of March temperature logs showed missing morning and evening temperature documentation for multiple units, including a chest freezer in dry storage on numerous dates, a white stand-up freezer on several dates, a double-door refrigerator on several dates, and a single-door refrigerator on multiple dates. April logs also lacked documentation of readings for a double-door freezer on specified dates. The facility’s policies required that frozen foods be stored at 0 to -10°F, produce at 38-44°F, dairy at 35-40°F, and that temperature logs be completed and monitored by the Certified Dietary Manager or designee. Additional observations showed sanitation and labeling issues in and around the kitchen and dry storage areas. The ice machine between the kitchen and storage room had a plastic lid and a metal object on the floor behind it, and a plastic green drinking cup sitting on top of the drain underneath it. Eight 15.5-lb plastic jugs of used cooking grease were observed with numerous grayish-black substances on their tops. In dry storage, surveyors found an approximately one-quarter full 5-lb package of undated pasta Labello egg noodles, an approximately one-quarter full 4.5-lb package of unlabeled, undated, unsealed noodles, approximately three-quarters of a full package of undated strawberry gelatin, and an approximately three-quarters full bag of unsealed buttermilk pancake mix. A dietary staff member verified these findings during the survey, and the Dietary Manager later stated that staff were expected to label and date all food placed in dry storage, refrigerators, or freezers when received and when opened, and ensure items were sealed, labeled, and dated with the open date, as outlined in the facility’s written policies.
Failure to Follow Enhanced Barrier Precautions, Hand Hygiene, and Laundry Handling Practices
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to maintain an effective infection prevention and control program, specifically related to Enhanced Barrier Precautions (EBP), hand hygiene, and handling of clean laundry. During tracheostomy care for Resident 2, a licensed nurse performed hand hygiene, donned gloves, and wore a mask but did not don a gown as required under EBP and did not change gloves before placing clean gauze or the tracheostomy cannula. In a separate wound care observation for Resident 6, the same nurse performed hand hygiene and applied a gown and gloves before care, but after completing the wound care and while holding gauze and wound cleanser, the nurse inspected and manipulated the resident’s suprapubic catheter tubing and then left the room without performing hand hygiene. Additional deficiencies were observed in the handling of clean laundry. A housekeeping/laundry staff member placed a covered cart with residents’ personal items in one hall, then removed items from the cart and carried them over the shoulder to another hall without using the cart and without keeping the items covered between rooms. Interviews with nursing and administrative staff confirmed that wound care supplies should be kept in residents’ rooms or bagged and taken to the wound nurse, that hand sanitizing should be performed before and after wound care and after contact with catheters or tubing, and that staff are expected to wear gown, gloves, and mask at minimum for EBP. The housekeeping supervisor also stated that laundry staff are expected to keep the cart covered between rooms. These practices did not align with the facility’s written policies on EBP and hand hygiene, which require targeted gown and glove use during high-contact care and hand cleansing before and after resident contact, after contact with blood or body fluids, after removing PPE, and before procedures involving invasive devices or dressing care.
Inaccurate MDS Coding of Fall With Major Injury
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to accurately complete the Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessment for Resident 13, resulting in an incorrect coding of the resident’s fall history and injury status. Resident 13’s electronic medical record documented multiple diagnoses, including hemiparesis/hemiplegia, chronic osteomyelitis, and intervertebral disc disorder with radiculopathy. The quarterly MDS dated 03/24/26 recorded a Brief Interview for Mental Status (BIMS) score of 15, indicated the resident required supervision for walking 10 feet and partial assistance for walking 50 feet, and documented that the resident had no falls since the previous MDS assessment. However, this conflicted with clinical documentation and the resident’s care plan and progress notes. On 01/16/26, progress notes showed that staff responded to the resident’s call light and found him on the floor next to his heater, lying on boxes, papers, and his bedside table. The resident complained of back and left hip pain, had swelling behind his left ear from hitting the heater, redness on his left cheek, and reported tenderness with weight-bearing on his leg. A mobile X-ray later confirmed a nondisplaced fracture of the left superior pubic ramus, and the provider assessed the resident the same day. The care plan documented that the resident continued to act independently despite education to use the call light, and the resident later reported to therapy staff that he had falls and was working to get stronger after his last fall. During interviews, an administrative nurse acknowledged that the resident had a fall resulting in a hip fracture that should have been coded on the MDS as a fall with major injury, and that the falls section of the MDS had been coded in error, contrary to the facility’s policy to complete the MDS according to federal regulations and the RAI manual.
Failure to Use Wheelchair Foot Pedals When Assisting a Resident
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to provide an environment free of accident hazards by not ensuring the use of wheelchair foot pedals when staff assisted a resident in a wheelchair. The resident had diagnoses including severe morbid obesity, vascular dementia, anxiety, and noncompliance, and had a BIMS score of 15 on multiple MDS assessments, indicating intact cognition. The resident’s assessments and Falls Care Area Assessment documented a history of falls within the previous months and identified the resident as being at risk for falls. The care plan documented that the resident was at risk for falls, had experienced a fall, and that his back locked up at times requiring the use of a wheelchair. On one observed occasion, a CNA pushed the resident in a wheelchair without foot pedals attached as he was brought from outside smoking back to his room, during which the resident crossed and held his feet off the floor. On another observed occasion, a nurse turned the resident in his wheelchair and assisted him to the dining room without foot pedals, during which the resident’s sock was half off and dragged on the floor, and the resident again held his foot off the floor. During interviews, one nurse expressed uncertainty about whether the resident should be assisted in the wheelchair without foot pedals, while a CMA stated the resident used foot pedals when being assisted but not when self-propelling. Administrative nursing staff confirmed that staff should not assist the resident in the wheelchair without foot pedals. The facility’s falls policy stated that residents would be assessed for fall risks and interventions implemented to reduce those risks.
Improper Securing of Suprapubic Catheter Tubing
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to provide appropriate care and treatment for a resident with a suprapubic catheter by not securing the catheter tubing according to current standards of practice and the facility’s own competency checklist. The resident had multiple urologic and cognitive conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease with severely impaired cognition (BIMS score of four), chronic kidney disease stage three, benign prostatic hyperplasia, obstructive uropathy, and urinary retention, and was documented as having an indwelling catheter. The care plan included an order from the resident’s urologist directing staff not to remove the catheter and directed staff to apply Skin-prep prior to attaching a Stat-lock for the suprapubic catheter. On two separate observations, licensed nurses assessed and cleaned the suprapubic catheter site on the resident’s abdomen but attached the Stat-lock to the resident’s left upper thigh, securing the tubing from the abdomen to the leg. One nurse confirmed the Stat-lock was attached to the thigh and stated they were unaware that a Stat-lock could be adhered to the abdomen. The administrative nurse stated she expected the Stat-lock to be anchored to the leg and acknowledged that the facility catheter policy did not specify Stat-lock placement for a suprapubic catheter. However, she also stated that the facility’s suprapubic catheter replacement competency checklist, which she had previously reviewed, directed that the catheter tubing should be anchored to the abdomen. The competency checklist documented that the catheter tubing should be secured to the abdomen, but this was not followed in practice.
Failure to Implement Dietitian’s TID Supplement Order and Validate Significant Weight Changes
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to ensure adequate nutritional maintenance for Resident 27 by not implementing the registered dietitian’s recommendation for house supplement shakes three times daily and by not appropriately monitoring and validating significant weight changes. Resident 27 had dementia with severe cognitive impairment, chronic pain, unspecified intellectual disabilities, and major depressive disorder, used a wheelchair, and required set-up or clean-up assistance for eating. The MDS documented a weight of 123 lbs with no weight loss or gain at that time, and the care plan included nutrition-focused interventions such as providing diet as ordered, snacks between meals, monitoring for loss of appetite while on Remeron, and providing supplements as ordered. On 03/03/26, the dietitian documented that the resident had slow, unplanned weight loss related to a decline in energy and recommended offering a house supplement three times a day and adding extra sugar, cream, and butter to foods and fluids to increase energy intake and promote weight stability. Despite this recommendation, the electronic task list from 03/16/26 to 04/13/26 showed the resident was only offered and received a supplement drink once daily in the afternoon. Staff interviews confirmed that the resident received a supplement only on second shift around 2:00 PM, and an administrative nurse acknowledged she had missed the dietitian’s TID recommendation and entered the order for only once daily. Weight records showed a documented weight of 123.4 lbs on 04/01/26 and an implausible weight of 168.0 lbs on 04/10/26, which was not recognized or rechecked at the time by nursing staff. A subsequent re-weigh on 04/15/26, using the wheelchair tare method, yielded a resident weight of 119.5 lbs, reflecting a 3.9 lb (3.16%) loss from 04/01/26. Administrative staff later stated that the 168 lb weight should have been immediately reported and rechecked, and that whoever weighed the resident should have reviewed the previous weight and performed a re-weight if there was a significant change. The facility’s weight loss prevention policy required nutritional interventions and RD consultation for residents with poor or declining intake or weight loss, but the RD was not informed that her TID supplement recommendation had been effectively reduced to once daily.
Emergency Tracheostomy Equipment Not Readily Available at Bedside
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to ensure that emergency respiratory equipment, specifically an Ambu bag, was readily available at the bedside for a resident with a tracheostomy in the event of accidental extubation or respiratory distress. The resident had diagnoses including sleep apnea, chronic respiratory failure with hypoxia, obesity, dysphagia, malignant neoplasm of the nasopharynx, and required oxygen therapy and tracheostomy care. The resident was cognitively intact, used a wheelchair, and required varying levels of assistance with ADLs. The care plan documented that the resident received breathing treatments, required staff reminders to notify them when treatments were finished, and that staff were to provide oxygen via tracheostomy mask and suction as indicated. The care plan and physician orders also directed staff to call 911 and send the resident to the ER if the entire tracheostomy tube came out, and to follow the facility’s Emergency Protocol Health policy. Surveyor observations on multiple occasions showed that while oxygen and suction were available at the bedside, there was no Ambu bag in the resident’s room. Instead, the Ambu bag and emergency supplies were stored on a covered cart in the hallway under a Hoyer lift, with a battery charger on top, requiring staff to move equipment and wheel the cart into the room before use. Staff interviews confirmed that the emergency tracheostomy supplies and Ambu bag were not kept at the bedside and were instead located in the hallway or medication room. Nursing staff stated that all nurses were CPR-qualified and that hospice residents with tracheostomies had bedside emergency kits because hospice provided them. An administrative nurse reported that tracheostomy care competencies were done annually and explained that there was no emergency kit or Ambu bag at the bedside because the physician had instructed staff not to reinsert the tracheostomy if it came out, but to call 911 immediately. The facility’s Respiratory Care policy stated that necessary respiratory care and services would be provided in accordance with professional standards of practice, the resident’s care plan, and resident choice.
Failure to Coordinate Hospice Services in Resident Care Plans
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to develop and maintain a coordinated hospice plan of care that integrated hospice services with facility services for two residents receiving hospice. For one resident with Alzheimer’s disease, CAD, and atrial fibrillation, the Significant Change MDS documented severely impaired cognition and extensive assistance needs for bed mobility and transfers, and indicated the resident was receiving hospice services. The resident’s care plan noted a terminal prognosis due to Alzheimer’s, directed staff to adjust ADL care, consult the physician for hospice care in the facility, and monitor and treat pain, but it did not include instructions on hospice services such as hospice staff visit schedules, supplies, medical equipment, or medications covered by hospice. The clinical record showed the resident had been admitted to hospice care months earlier, yet there was no documented evidence of coordination of care between hospice and the facility. For the second resident, diagnosed with PVD, DM, HTN, and atherosclerotic heart disease, the Significant Change MDS showed severe cognitive impairment with a BIMS score of two and dependence on staff for most ADLs, and documented that the resident received hospice services. The resident’s care plan recorded admission to hospice and directed staff to adjust ADL provision, encourage participation as desired, assess coping, respect wishes, and consult with the physician and hospice for continuing hospice care, as well as monitor for pain and notify the physician and hospice for breakthrough pain. However, the care plan lacked a hospice contact number, information on what supplies, equipment, and medications hospice would provide, and details on when hospice staff would be in the building and what care they would deliver. Observations and staff interviews confirmed these omissions. One resident was observed in bed receiving eye drops from a CMA, and during record review, the Administrative Nurse acknowledged that the facility care plan lacked specific information coordinating with the hospice care plan. For the second resident, the Administrative Nurse verified that the care plan did not contain information regarding hospice visits, phone numbers, or medical supplies provided by hospice, and stated that such information should be on the resident’s care plan. These findings were inconsistent with the facility’s Hospice Services policy, which required an interdisciplinary care plan integrating facility and hospice services, including coordination of services and supplies provided by the hospice provider.
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