Sycamore Heights Health And Rehabilitation
Inspection history, citations, penalties and survey trends for this long-term care facility in Louisville, Kentucky.
- Location
- 2141 Sycamore Avenue, Louisville, Kentucky 40206
- CMS Provider Number
- 185348
- Inspections on file
- 21
- Latest survey
- September 20, 2024
- Citations (last 12 mo.)
- 0
Citation history
Health deficiencies cited at Sycamore Heights Health And Rehabilitation during CMS and state inspections, most recent first.
The facility failed to ensure residents received mail on Saturdays, affecting all residents. Two residents reported not receiving mail on Saturdays, and it was confirmed that mail was locked in the Activities Director's office until Monday. Interviews with staff revealed confusion about the mail delivery process, leading to a deficiency in residents' rights to timely mail access.
The facility failed to maintain proper infection control practices, as staff repeatedly neglected to use PPE and sanitize equipment between residents. A nurse entered a resident's room under enhanced barrier precautions without PPE and did not sanitize a blood pressure machine after use. Additionally, a medication technician mishandled a dropped pill, and other staff provided direct care without PPE, despite clear signage. Interviews confirmed these actions violated infection control policies.
The facility failed to properly store and label medications. A nurse placed a cup of pills with a resident's name in a medication cart drawer after the resident went to therapy, contrary to the facility's policy of disposing of such medications. Additionally, eye drops and suppositories were improperly stored in a refrigerator door, risking temperature fluctuations. These actions violated the facility's medication storage and administration policies.
The facility failed to adhere to food service safety standards by storing ice packs in resident nourishment refrigerators, risking cross-contamination. Observations revealed ice packs stored with food items in three unit refrigerators. Interviews with unit managers and the administrator confirmed that ice packs should be stored in medication refrigerators.
The facility failed to implement comprehensive care plans for three residents, leading to deficiencies in meeting their medical and nursing needs. One resident received incorrect oxygen therapy settings, another was not provided a smoking apron as required, and a third did not receive timely incontinence care. Staff interviews and observations highlighted ongoing issues with adherence to care plans, with short staffing cited as a contributing factor.
A facility failed to ensure the correct advance directives for a resident under state guardianship. Despite a court order appointing the state as the legal guardian, the facility accepted a DNR order signed by a family member, which was unauthorized. Staff interviews revealed confusion and lack of verification regarding the resident's code status, leading to the resident being incorrectly documented as DNR without proper authorization.
A resident admitted to a smoke-free LTC facility was observed smoking on the premises without a smoking apron, despite it being a care plan intervention. The facility failed to conduct a Safe Smoking Evaluation and did not communicate the resident's smoking status and safety requirements to supervising staff. The resident was not listed among those who smoked, and staff were unaware of the need for a smoking apron, leading to potential safety risks.
A resident with acute pulmonary edema was observed receiving oxygen at three liters per minute, contrary to the physician's order of two liters per minute. Despite the care plan and staff acknowledgment of the correct procedure, the facility failed to ensure the oxygen concentrator settings matched the physician's orders, potentially risking the resident's health.
A resident with dementia and moderate cognitive impairment did not receive necessary toileting and incontinence care as per their care plan. Despite directives to check for incontinence every two hours, staff frequently left the resident in soiled conditions. Family members reported ongoing issues, and staff interviews revealed inconsistencies in following the care plan, with management citing staffing shortages as a contributing factor.
A facility did not effectively develop and implement a care plan for a resident diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and impulse disorder. Despite recognizing the resident's behavior of manipulating objects into protective items due to hallucinations, the facility lacked continuous monitoring and removal of potentially harmful objects. This oversight led to an incident where the resident injured a roommate with a plastic fork, necessitating hospital transfer for the injured party. The care plan included interventions like using plastic utensils and room monitoring, but staff inconsistently followed these measures. Interviews with RNs and the Dietary Manager revealed inconsistencies in care plan implementation and documentation, contributing to an unsafe environment.
A deficiency report highlights a serious incident involving two residents with severe cognitive impairments. One resident, diagnosed with dementia and other conditions, sustained a laceration to the eye inflicted by another resident with dementia, paranoid schizophrenia, and impulse disorder. The incident occurred due to insufficient supervision and monitoring, despite the known risks associated with the aggressive resident's history of hallucinations and delusions. Staff hesitated to intervene physically, contributing to the injury. The facility's policies and care plans were not effectively implemented to prevent the accident.
Failure to Ensure Timely Mail Delivery to Residents
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure residents had the right to send and receive mail, affecting all residents. During a group interview conducted by the State Survey Agency, two residents complained about not receiving mail on Saturdays. The facility's policy stated that residents had the right to receive mail and other materials delivered to the facility. However, it was revealed that mail delivered on Saturdays was locked in the Activities Director's office until Monday morning, delaying residents' access to their mail. Interviews with various staff members, including the Director of Nursing, Unit Manager, Activities Director, Assistant Director of Nursing, and the Administrator, showed a lack of clarity and communication regarding the mail delivery process on Saturdays. The Activities Director confirmed that the mail was held until the Business Office Manager could sort it on Monday, contradicting the Administrator's expectation that the Manager on Duty would distribute mail on Saturdays. This miscommunication and procedural gap led to the deficiency in ensuring residents' rights to timely mail access.
Infection Control Lapses in PPE Use and Equipment Sanitization
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain an effective infection prevention and control program, as evidenced by multiple observations of staff not adhering to proper protocols. A registered nurse entered a resident's room, who was under enhanced barrier precautions due to a suprapubic catheter, without donning the required personal protective equipment (PPE) and failed to sanitize the blood pressure machine after use. This same nurse repeated the failure to sanitize the equipment between different residents, potentially facilitating the transmission of infections. Further observations revealed that the Minimum Data Set/Infection Prevention Nurse and the Admission Coordinator also entered the same resident's room without the necessary PPE, despite the presence of clear signage indicating the need for enhanced barrier precautions. They provided direct care, including repositioning the resident and handling the catheter, without the protective measures required to prevent infection spread. Additionally, a Certified Medication Technician was observed mishandling medication by picking up a dropped pill with an ungloved hand and administering it to a resident. Interviews with various staff members, including the Director of Nursing and the Assistant Director of Nursing, confirmed that these actions were against the facility's infection control policies, which require discarding dropped medications and using PPE when providing direct care to residents under enhanced precautions.
Improper Medication Storage and Labeling
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure proper storage and labeling of medications, as observed during a survey. In one instance, a Registered Nurse (RN) placed a cup of pills with a resident's first name handwritten on it in the top drawer of a medication cart after realizing the resident was unavailable due to therapy. The RN was unsure of the potential issues with this practice, while the Unit Manager, Assistant Director of Nursing, Director of Nursing, and Administrator all stated that medications should be disposed of if the resident is not available, rather than being stored for later use. This practice could lead to medications being forgotten, lost, or potentially administered to the wrong resident. Additionally, the facility failed to store medications under proper temperature controls. Eye drops and suppositories were found stored in the door of a medication refrigerator, which had a thermometer reading 43 degrees Fahrenheit. RN4 acknowledged that medications should not be stored in the refrigerator door due to potential temperature fluctuations that could affect their potency. These observations indicate a failure to adhere to the facility's policies on medication storage and administration, which require medications to be stored according to the manufacturer's recommendations and under appropriate conditions to ensure their efficacy and safety.
Improper Storage of Ice Packs in Resident Refrigerators
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to store food in accordance with professional standards for food service safety in three out of four unit refrigerators used for resident nourishment. During observations on September 18, 2024, ice packs were found stored in the freezer compartments of the nourishment refrigerators for the A-D, E, and F units. Specifically, the E unit refrigerator contained five ice packs along with a mesh bag of popsicles, a box of popsicles, and a frozen sweet and sour chicken dinner. The F unit refrigerator had eight ice packs, and the A-D unit refrigerator had three ice packs stored with a popsicle. Interviews conducted on September 20, 2024, revealed that the unit managers for the A-D, B, E, and F units acknowledged that ice packs should not be stored in the resident nourishment refrigerators due to the risk of cross-contamination with food. They stated that the ice packs were intended to be stored in the medication refrigerators. The facility's administrator confirmed that the ice packs were used to keep items like applesauce, supplements, and pudding cold on the medication cart and should be stored in the medication room refrigerators.
Failure to Implement Comprehensive Care Plans
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to implement comprehensive person-centered care plans for three residents, leading to deficiencies in meeting their medical and nursing needs. For Resident R45, the care plan required oxygen therapy at two liters per minute, but observations revealed the oxygen concentrator was set at three liters per minute on multiple occasions. This discrepancy was not addressed by the nursing staff, despite the potential adverse effects of incorrect oxygen levels, as noted by the Director of Nursing. Resident R83's care plan included the use of a smoking apron to prevent injury from unsafe smoking practices. However, observations showed that the resident smoked multiple cigarettes without wearing the apron, and interviews revealed that the resident was never offered one. The facility's staff, including the Activity Director and Social Services Director, acknowledged the risk of burns or injury if the apron was not used, yet the intervention was not implemented. For Resident R52, the care plan specified checking for incontinence every two hours to prevent skin breakdown. Despite this, continuous observation showed that staff did not provide incontinence care or assist the resident to the bathroom over a two-hour period. Interviews with family members and staff indicated ongoing issues with adherence to the care plan, with staff citing short staffing as a reason for the lack of care. The resident's guardian expressed frustration over the facility's failure to follow the care plan, which was corroborated by staff interviews acknowledging the resident's resistance to care.
Failure to Verify Advance Directives for Resident Under State Guardianship
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that the advance directives for Resident 43 were completed by the legal guardian, as required. Despite a court order appointing the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) as the legal guardian for Resident 43, the facility accepted a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order signed by a family member, which was not authorized. The resident, who was admitted with severe cognitive impairment and under state guardianship, was incorrectly documented as having a DNR status without the proper authorization from the state-appointed guardian. Interviews with staff revealed a lack of clarity and communication regarding the resident's code status. The State Guardian confirmed that once the state was appointed as the guardian, the resident's code status should have been full code, and any changes to a DNR status required a review by a state nurse. However, the facility's staff, including registered nurses and the Director of Nursing, failed to verify the correct code status upon the resident's return from the hospital, relying instead on information provided by the hospital, which was incorrect. The facility's policy required that advance directives be reviewed during care planning and upon re-admission from the hospital. However, interviews with the Unit Manager and Director of Nursing indicated that the social services department was responsible for handling advance directives, and there was no clear evidence that Resident 43's code status was reviewed during Interdisciplinary Team meetings. This oversight led to the resident being at risk of not receiving necessary life-saving interventions due to the incorrect DNR status.
Failure to Ensure Safe Smoking Practices for Resident
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure adequate supervision and assistance devices to prevent accidents for a resident who smoked, despite being a smoke-free facility. The resident, admitted after the facility went smoke-free, was observed smoking on facility grounds without wearing a smoking apron, which was an intervention noted in the resident's care plan. There was no documented evidence of a smoking evaluation being completed for this resident to ensure safe smoking practices. The facility's smoking policy indicated that residents who smoked were to be supervised and assessed using a Safe Smoking Evaluation, with all safety measures documented in the care plan. However, the resident was not listed among those who smoked, and the staff responsible for supervising smoking residents were not informed of the resident's need for a smoking apron. Interviews with various staff members revealed a lack of awareness and communication regarding the resident's smoking status and safety requirements. The resident was observed smoking multiple times without a smoking apron, despite being supervised by staff. Interviews with the resident and staff indicated that the resident was not offered a smoking apron, and there was no documentation of any refusal to wear one. The facility's administration acknowledged that the resident should not have been allowed to smoke on the premises and that a smoking evaluation was likely not conducted, leading to a potential risk of burns or fire.
Failure to Administer Oxygen as Ordered
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide oxygen as ordered for a resident, identified as R45, who was supposed to receive oxygen at two liters per minute via nasal cannula. However, observations on two consecutive days revealed that the resident was receiving oxygen at three liters per minute. This discrepancy was noted despite the resident's active physician's orders and comprehensive care plan specifying the correct oxygen administration rate. The resident, who was admitted with diagnoses including unspecified dementia and acute pulmonary edema, had a BIMS score indicating intact cognition and was receiving oxygen therapy as part of their care plan. Interviews with facility staff, including a registered nurse, unit manager, director of nursing, and the administrator, confirmed that it was the nurse's responsibility to ensure the oxygen concentrator settings matched the physician's orders. The staff acknowledged that incorrect oxygen settings could potentially harm the resident, causing adverse effects such as slowed breathing, increased heart rate, and restlessness. Despite these acknowledgments, the facility failed to adhere to the physician's orders, resulting in the resident receiving an incorrect oxygen dosage.
Failure to Provide Adequate Incontinence Care for Resident with Dementia
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide necessary services related to toileting and incontinence care for Resident 52, who was unable to carry out Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) due to moderate cognitive impairment and other medical conditions. Despite having a care plan that required checking for incontinence every two hours and using briefs at night, the resident was often found in soiled conditions. Family members reported that the resident was frequently left in a soiled bed and dirty clothing, and staff did not adhere to the care plan's requirements for regular toileting and incontinence checks. Observations and interviews revealed that staff did not consistently check on Resident 52 as required. On multiple occasions, staff entered the resident's room without providing incontinence care or assisting with toileting. Interviews with staff members, including SRNAs and RNs, indicated that while they were aware of the resident's needs and care plan, they did not always follow through with the required checks and assistance. The resident's refusal of care was noted, but staff did not consistently document these refusals or attempt alternative approaches as outlined in the care plan. Family members expressed frustration with the facility's lack of accountability and frequent staff turnover, which contributed to the inadequate care. The facility's management, including the DON and Administrator, acknowledged the issues but cited staffing shortages as a reason for the lapses in care. Despite the care plan's clear directives, the facility failed to ensure that Resident 52 received the necessary assistance with ADLs, leading to repeated instances of neglect in toileting and incontinence care.
Inadequate Care Plan Implementation and Supervision for Resident with Cognitive Impairment
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to develop and implement an effective care plan for Resident #7, who had diagnoses of paranoid schizophrenia and impulse disorder. Despite being aware of the resident's tendency to manipulate objects into protective items due to hallucinations, the facility did not have interventions in place to continuously monitor and remove objects that could be used as weapons. This lack of oversight led to a serious incident where Resident #7 injured his roommate, Resident #6, with a plastic fork, resulting in Resident #6 being transferred to the hospital for treatment. The deficiency was further highlighted by the facility's failure to adequately supervise Resident #7, who was assessed to be severely cognitively impaired. The care plan for Resident #7, developed on 11/01/2023, included interventions such as serving only plastic utensils and monitoring his room for potentially harmful objects. However, staff did not consistently follow through with these interventions, as evidenced by Resident #7 being found with a bloody fork in his hand after harming Resident #6. The lack of proper monitoring and supervision contributed to the unsafe environment that resulted in harm to a resident. Interviews with staff members, including the Registered Nurses and the Dietary Manager, revealed inconsistencies in the implementation of the care plan interventions for Resident #7. While efforts were made to provide plastic utensils and monitor the resident's room, there was a lack of formal documentation and oversight to ensure these measures were consistently enforced. The facility's failure to address Resident #7's safety concerns and adequately monitor his behaviors ultimately led to a serious incident that put residents at risk and resulted in harm.
Inadequate Supervision Leads to Resident Injury
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency identified in the report pertains to the facility's failure to provide adequate supervision and monitoring to prevent accident hazards, resulting in a serious incident involving two residents, Resident #6 and Resident #7. Resident #6, admitted with diagnoses including unspecified dementia, major depressive disorder, and insomnia, sustained a laceration to his left eye inflicted by Resident #7, who had diagnoses of unspecified dementia, paranoid schizophrenia, and impulse disorder. Both residents had severe cognitive impairment as indicated by their Brief Interview for Mental Status (BIMS) scores. Despite Resident #7's history of hallucinations and attempts to manipulate objects into protective items due to his delusions, the facility did not effectively monitor or supervise him to prevent potential harm to himself or others. The incident occurred in the early hours of the morning when staff found Resident #6 with a laceration to his left eye and blood on his face, while Resident #7 was holding a bloody fork and stated he did it because he believed Resident #6 was trying to harm him. Staff members, including nurses and CNAs, were hesitant to intervene physically due to fear of Resident #7, who had a history of hallucinations and had previously expressed intentions to use objects as defensive weapons. Despite the facility's knowledge of Resident #7's behaviors and the development of a care plan to mitigate risks, the lack of effective supervision and monitoring led to the serious injury suffered by Resident #6. The facility's policies and procedures related to preventing abuse, neglect, and accidents, as well as the specific care plan developed for Resident #7, highlighted the importance of identifying and mitigating risks to ensure resident safety. However, the failure to implement these measures effectively, including monitoring the removal of potentially harmful objects from Resident #7's room and providing adequate supervision, resulted in the incident that posed a serious risk to resident safety. The deficiencies in supervision and monitoring, coupled with the residents' cognitive impairments and history of delusions, underscore the critical need for facilities to proactively address safety concerns and provide appropriate oversight to prevent accidents and harm to residents in long-term care settings.
Latest citations in Kentucky
The facility failed to maintain a safe, clean, and well‑maintained environment as required by its own policy, with surveyors observing loose kitchen handrails, damaged doors and wood paneling, exposed concrete and stained flooring in resident rooms and bathrooms, bubbling and chipped paint, rusted door frames, water‑stained ceiling tiles, scuffed walls and baseboards, damaged tiles, and deteriorated outdoor structures such as a raised garden bed. Additional issues included a broken cabinet and taped wall corner guard in shower rooms, an unsecured wall clock, a missing floor tile, dried paint splatter, rusted heating/cooling units with chipped paint, and a pool table with a missing corner guard. A resident reported a heating/air unit in her room with a missing bottom panel exposing dust and debris. Staff interviews revealed that some items had been broken for years, concerns about the safety of the handrails had not resulted in repairs, housekeeping did not consistently log issues for maintenance, and there was no formal system to track and ensure completion of maintenance work orders, as acknowledged by the DON, the Maintenance Director, and the Administrator.
The facility failed to ensure food and beverages were served at safe and appetizing temperatures, as required by its Food Preparation and Service policy. Multiple test tray assessments documented hot items such as meats, vegetables, and starches being served within the temperature danger zone, and cold items such as desserts, milk, juice, and sandwiches above the required cold-holding temperature. A resident with DM2, major depressive disorder, and anxiety, who was cognitively intact, reported receiving cold food all the time, and residents in a Resident Council meeting also reported cold food at mealtimes. During a test tray observation, surveyors found hot entrée and vegetable items to be room temperature or cold and beverages warm. Despite these findings, dietary leadership and the RD stated that hot food was always hot and that temperatures taken during audits were accurate, while the DON and Administrator expressed expectations that hot food be hot and cold food be cold.
Surveyors found that nourishment refrigerators and freezers on several units were soiled with dried food debris, and multiple opened grape jelly containers were left undated and unrefrigerated despite labeling that required refrigeration after opening. Facility policies required refrigerators and freezers to be kept clean, free of debris, and that refrigerated or frozen foods be covered, labeled, and dated. Staff interviews showed that Dietary was responsible for cleaning nourishment refrigerators, that refrigerators were cleaned on a set schedule with spills expected to be wiped up by staff, and that opened jelly should have been dated and refrigerated. These practices had the potential to affect all current residents.
The facility failed to maintain a safe, clean, and homelike environment and to ensure adequate supplies for resident care. Over several months, grievances and Resident Council minutes documented repeated concerns about lack of needed supplies, use of wrong-size briefs, and the prolonged closure of a small dining room. Multiple STNAs reported frequent shortages of briefs, linens, washcloths, peri-care products, and other supplies, sometimes leading staff to cut towels into washcloths and to use ill-fitting brief sizes for residents. Environmental observations revealed inaccessible and damaged dining areas with buckled and broken floor tiles, missing and stained ceiling tiles, and a resident bathroom with uneven flooring, persistent staining, a cracked shower light cover containing a dead insect, and a soap dispenser installed above a non-functional outlet. Additional rooms and hallways had exposed wall cracks, sagging ceiling tiles, lifting and separating floor tiles, and buckled flooring attributed to leaks, while maintenance and housekeeping leaders acknowledged awareness of many of these issues but had not ensured timely correction.
The facility failed to develop and implement comprehensive, person-centered care plans for multiple residents, and staff did not consistently follow existing care plan interventions. Several residents with PEG tubes, a dialysis catheter, and a colostomy either lacked appropriate EBP care plan focuses at admission or did not have EBP practices implemented as written, including missing door signage and failure to follow tube-feeding protocols. In addition, two residents with PTSD and other mental health diagnoses had active PTSD documented in assessments and psychiatric notes, but their care plans did not address PTSD-related triggers, symptoms, or trauma-informed interventions, despite staff acknowledging these omissions and the importance of accurate, complete care planning.
A deficiency was cited after surveyors found that multiple residents receiving enteral nutrition did not receive care consistent with facility policy, physician orders, or manufacturer guidance. Tube feeding bags were often hung without dates or times, tubing connectors were left uncapped between uses, and pumps and IV poles were visibly soiled with dried formula. A resident with a G-tube and severe cognitive impairment twice developed abdominal wall cellulitis identified by an adult day care center, with no prior documentation of infection signs by facility staff despite orders to monitor the site each shift. Other residents had medications administered via PEG or G-tubes without verification of tube placement, feedings started late or allowed to run past ordered stop times, and feeding systems spiked and primed hours before use with open, uncovered connectors. Staff interviews confirmed that protective caps were not supplied, that they were behind on tasks, and that they were aware these practices could introduce contamination, leading to the cited deficiency in enteral feeding management.
The facility failed to implement and maintain effective infection prevention and control practices, including missing Enhanced Barrier Precautions (EBP) signage for multiple residents with devices such as feeding tubes, colostomies, dialysis catheters, and indwelling urinary catheters, despite care plans and orders indicating EBP. Several residents receiving tube feedings had bottles and tubing hanging without dates or times and without protective end caps when not in use, contrary to staff statements that feedings should be dated, timed, and properly capped. Staff also did not consistently disinfect shared equipment and surfaces between residents, including a medication cart used for blood glucose checks, a blood pressure cuff used on more than one resident, and a mechanical lift that was returned to the hallway without cleaning after use, despite facility expectations and policies requiring cleaning between each resident.
The facility failed to maintain an effective pest control program, as gnats, roaches, mice, and other pests were repeatedly observed and reported in resident rooms, bathrooms, dining areas, and the kitchen. Surveyors noted gnats around urine-filled urinals on a bedside table, in the kitchen near an open freezer, and on dirty dishware in a unit dining room, as well as a cracked bathroom light fixture containing a dead moth. Exterior doors near the kitchen, courtyard, and parking lot were repeatedly propped open with objects, contrary to expectations stated by the DON, Dietary Manager, and Maintenance Director, allowing pests to enter. A resident reported seeing a mouse and cockroaches in his room, with a mouse glue trap observed there, while another resident reported a mouse in her window and mouse droppings in both the window and on a meal tray. STNAs described ongoing problems with gnats and large roaches and stated that routine pest control spraying and glue traps had not resolved the issues.
A resident with COPD, chronic pain, and pneumonia was placed on palliative and hospice care and ordered oral morphine concentrate for end-of-life pain management. The NP intended a dose of 0.25 ml of 100 mg/5 ml morphine (5 mg), but an LPN entered the order in the EMR as 20 mg/5 ml at 0.25 ml (1 mg), creating a concentration discrepancy. Pharmacy dispensed 100 mg/5 ml morphine labeled to give 0.25 ml (5 mg), yet staff did not detect the mismatch between the EMR and the bottle. A hospice nurse, relying on the incorrect 20 mg/5 ml EMR order, obtained a new order to increase the dose to 1.25 ml to equal 5 mg and documented this on a hospice visit record. A CMT then administered the 100 mg/5 ml concentrate at 0.25 ml once and 1.25 ml three times, each 1.25 ml dose equaling 25 mg instead of 5 mg. Despite concerns from the UM and ADON about the unusually high 1.25 ml dose, clarification was delayed, and the resident was later pronounced dead. Interviews and policies showed staff were expected to follow the five rights of medication administration and reconcile labels with EMR orders, but multiple failures to verify the correct concentration and dose led to repeated morphine overdoses and a significant medication error.
A resident on hospice with COPD and chronic pain received morphine concentrate after a verbal order from an NP was incorrectly entered by an LPN as a lower‑strength solution. A hospice nurse later increased the volume of the morphine dose based on the incorrect concentration in the electronic order rather than the pharmacy order or medication label, resulting in administration of doses five times higher than intended on multiple occasions. The resident died later that day, and hospice staff, the coroner, and police became involved, with police confirming concerns about excessive dosing and seizing the morphine. Despite a facility policy requiring prompt reporting of abuse allegations and any reasonable suspicion of a crime to state agencies, the DON and Administrator did not report the incident, with the Administrator stating she relied on police to make the report.
Failure to Maintain Safe, Clean, and Well-Maintained Environment
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to maintain a safe, clean, and well‑maintained environment as required by its “Home-like Environment” policy, which states residents have a right to a safe, clean, and homelike setting. Surveyors observed multiple unresolved maintenance and housekeeping issues throughout the building and grounds. These included loose and insecure handrails leading into the kitchen, a damaged kitchen entry door with scratches and a missing piece, damaged and chipped wood paneling at the nurses’ station, and multiple areas of damaged flooring in resident rooms where heating/cooling units had been removed, exposing concrete and stained flooring around toilets and sinks. Additional observations included bubbling and chipping wall paint, rusted door frames, discolored and water‑stained ceiling tiles, and scuffed walls and baseboards in hallways and the dining room. Further observations showed environmental issues in resident-use and common areas, including a water hose lying in flowerbeds at the facility entrance, a Styrofoam cup on the ground outside a resident’s window, scratched glass doors to the smoking area, damaged floor tiles at the exit to the smoking area, a cabinet in a resident shower room with a missing handle, and a wall corner guard held in place with multiple strips of tape. Another shower room had a wall clock not mounted properly, resting on cloth hooks. Additional findings included a missing floor tile in a resident room exposing concrete, dried paint splatter at entries to several resident rooms, rust and chipped paint on a heating/cooling unit and adjacent exit door, a pool table in the dining room with a missing corner guard and exposed edges, and a raised garden bed with structural deterioration and a failing, rotted base partially detached and laying on the ground. Interviews confirmed that these conditions had been ongoing and not consistently addressed through the facility’s maintenance processes. A resident reported that the heating/air unit in her room was missing the bottom part, exposing dust and debris on the floor, and stated she would clean it herself if able. A CNA reported the broken cabinet in the shower room had been in that condition for many years and that repairs were not consistently completed after being reported via logbooks. The Housekeeping Manager acknowledged awareness of scuff marks on walls and baseboards but had not entered them into the maintenance logbook. The Dietary Manager stated she had concerns about the safety of the kitchen handrails, which she believed could pose a fall risk, and that maintenance had not repaired them. The Maintenance Director stated there were no outstanding work orders in the logbook, acknowledged that monthly painting had not been done for March, and noted the damaged raised garden bed had not been repaired or removed. The DON and Administrator both acknowledged there was no formal system to track and ensure completion of maintenance work orders, and the Administrator was aware of the unsecured kitchen handrails but was not aware if repairs had ever been completed.
Failure to Maintain Safe and Palatable Food Temperatures
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to provide food and drink at safe and appetizing temperatures in accordance with its own Food Preparation and Service policy. The policy, dated 2001, defined the temperature danger zone as above 41°F and below 135°F, and required potentially hazardous foods to be maintained at or below 41°F or at or above 135°F. Multiple Providence Pavilion Test Tray Assessment documents for various meals showed hot foods such as baked ravioli, baked chicken, rice pilaf, carrots, rosemary chicken, mushroom rice, au gratin cauliflower, broccoli, mashed potatoes, beef stroganoff, and carrots being served at temperatures between 118°F and 132°F, which were within the policy’s stated danger zone. Cold items such as apple bar, milk, cold ham and cheese sandwich, pudding, juice, and lemonade were recorded at temperatures between 42°F and 61°F, also within the danger zone. During a test tray observation, surveyors tasted the beef stroganoff, broccoli, and lemonade and described them as room temperature, cold, and warm, respectively. Resident feedback corroborated these findings. One resident, admitted with diagnoses including type 2 diabetes mellitus, major depressive disorder, and anxiety, and assessed as cognitively intact with a BIMS score of 14/15, stated she received cold food all the time. Residents attending a Resident Council meeting also reported receiving cold food at mealtimes. Despite these reports and documented tray temperatures in the danger zone, the Dietary Manager stated she preferred hot food served at 130°F and reported that steam tables were turned on one-half hour before meal service. The RD reported that she conducted sanitation walkthroughs and test trays and stated that hot food was always hot and that recorded temperatures showed this, and further indicated that department heads passed trays and took temperatures during test tray audits. The DON and Administrator both stated their expectations that residents receive food at proper temperatures, with hot food hot and cold food cold, but the documented observations and resident interviews showed that this was not consistently occurring.
Improper Food Storage and Unsanitary Nourishment Refrigerators
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to store, prepare, and serve food in accordance with professional standards and its own policies for food safety. Surveyors observed that nourishment refrigerators and freezers on multiple units, including the Honor, Pavilion, and Purpose Units, were soiled with dried food debris on shelves and throughout the compartments. On the Honor Unit, an opened grape jelly container was found sitting on top of the refrigerator, undated and not stored inside the refrigerator, despite the product label directing refrigeration after opening. In the kitchen, two additional opened and undated grape jelly containers were observed left out of the refrigerator. Review of facility policies from 2001 showed that refrigerators and freezers were to be kept clean, free of debris, and disinfected with sanitizing solution on a scheduled basis, and that all foods stored in the refrigerator or freezer were to be covered, labeled, and dated with a use-by date. Staff interviews further clarified practices and expectations related to the deficiency. A state tested nurse aide stated that Dietary was responsible for cleaning the unit nourishment refrigerators. The Dietary Manager reported that nourishment refrigerators were cleaned twice weekly and that any spills should be cleaned up by staff, and acknowledged that the jelly was kept out to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, but should have been dated when opened and kept refrigerated. The DON stated her expectation that nourishment refrigerators be clean, and the Administrator stated her expectation that staff wipe up any spills and maintain the cleanliness of nourishment and resident refrigerators. The deficient practices had the potential to affect all 80 current residents.
Failure to Maintain Safe, Clean, and Homelike Environment and Adequate Care Supplies
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to provide residents with a safe, clean, comfortable, and homelike environment, including adequate supplies for daily care. The facility’s own policy on a homelike environment requires a safe, clean, comfortable setting that emphasizes residents’ independence and personal needs and preferences. Review of grievance logs and Resident Council minutes over several months showed repeated resident concerns about not having needed supplies and the prolonged inaccessibility of the small dining room. Grievances documented that residents lacked needed supplies and that the small dining room remained unusable, while Resident Council minutes reflected residents’ desire for the small dining room to be usable by Thanksgiving and ongoing concerns about not receiving needed supplies and aides using the wrong size briefs. Multiple staff interviews confirmed ongoing supply shortages affecting resident care. One STNA reported that the facility frequently did not have enough supplies, including hand sanitizers, soaps, clean linens, and briefs, and that this had been an issue for a few months. She stated that when briefs ran out, staff reported to nursing, who contacted central supply, and if unavailable, the Administrator was called to purchase supplies locally. Another STNA reported housekeeping budget cuts and stated the facility had run out of washcloths and disposable bed pads, leading staff to cut up towels to use as washcloths for peri-care. She also reported that a previous central supply staff member told STNAs the facility budgeted briefs to be changed once every six hours, which she felt was not sufficient for some residents, and that residents sometimes had to use larger or smaller brief sizes and complained about this. A third STNA stated the facility ran out of supplies on the unit, sometimes leaving no linens for night shift, and that peri-care supplies and specific brief sizes sometimes ran low, requiring use of different sizes. Environmental observations and staff interviews showed multiple areas of the building that were not maintained in a safe, clean, or homelike condition. The small dining/activity room off the main hall was observed with tables and chairs blocking entryways and a wavy, buckled wood-grain tile floor, and the room remained inaccessible to residents. In the Honor dining room, surveyors observed a large section of broken and mismatched wood-grain tiles with gaps between them and a missing ceiling tile. The bathroom in one resident room had an uneven floor, staining on the raised toilet seat, rust-colored stains running from a soap dispenser down past a non-functional wall outlet and onto the baseboard, and a cracked shower light cover containing a dead moth. The Housekeeping Manager acknowledged the staining had been present for two to three months, that attempts to remove it were unsuccessful, that the bathroom was not homelike, and that the floor needed to be replaced. Additional structural issues were observed in resident areas and common spaces. In another resident room, the wall with the window had an exposed crack with visible sheetrock, and ceiling tiles above the door included one missing tile and six stained and sagging tiles; an LPN stated there had been a leak and that maintenance was aware, but no repairs had been made. The Maintenance Director stated the leak was caused by the HVAC system and that repairs had not yet been completed. In the Providence hallway, blue border floor tiles were lifting and separating along the length of the hallway, with large scuff marks and dull, soiled center tiles; the Housekeeping Manager stated staff could not strip and wax the floor due to the tile’s condition, and the Regional Maintenance Director stated the facility was in the process of obtaining quotes to replace the floor. In another resident room, the floor appeared buckled and wavy, which the Maintenance Director attributed to a water leak in a wall coil assist located in the ceiling, and he stated there were plans to repair the flooring in multiple rooms. Interviews with maintenance and management staff showed awareness of many of these environmental issues but also revealed gaps in monitoring and timely correction. The Maintenance Assistant reported doing monthly room rounds for lights, extension cords, plugs, and handrails but was unaware of the bathroom issues in the identified room and had not noticed the damaged tiles in the Honor dining room or how long the small dining room had been closed. The Maintenance Director stated the small dining room floor damage was due to a water leak from an ice machine and believed it occurred months earlier, and he acknowledged that the non-live outlet in the bathroom would need to be removed and covered. The Housekeeping Manager stated she was aware of damaged and ill-fitting tiles in the Honor dining room and that floors in several areas, including the small dining room, needed replacement. The DON and Administrator both stated their expectations that the facility be kept clean, safe, and homelike, with all spaces utilized for residents and floors kept even, clean, dry, and free from clutter, but the observed conditions and staff reports demonstrated that these expectations were not being met.
Failure to Develop and Implement Comprehensive Person-Centered Care Plans
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to develop and implement comprehensive, person-centered care plans with measurable objectives and timeframes for multiple residents, and failure of staff to follow existing care plan interventions. For two residents with PEG tubes and one resident with a dialysis catheter, the facility did not fully develop care plans at admission to reflect their diagnoses and required Enhanced Barrier Precautions (EBP). One resident was admitted with a PEG tube in August 2025, but EBP related to the PEG tube was not added to the care plan until March 2026, and there was no EBP signage on the door during observation. Another resident admitted with end stage renal disease and a dialysis catheter had no care plan focus for the dialysis catheter or EBP, despite having an order for EBP and being admitted with the catheter; there was also no EBP signage observed on the door. For a resident with diverticulitis and colostomy status, the care plan did include EBP, and there were orders for EBP and colostomy care every shift; however, there was no EBP signage on the door, and the MDS nurse stated she had been told that residents with colostomies did not require EBP, even though EBP remained on the care plan and staff were expected to follow care plan interventions. Another resident with cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and gastrostomy status had a care plan directing staff to check PEG tube placement and gastric contents/residual volume prior to medication administration per facility protocol, but observation showed an LPN administering medications via the PEG tube without checking for placement before pushing the medication. Two residents with PTSD diagnoses did not have their mental health needs fully addressed in their care plans. One resident admitted in 2023 with PTSD and other mental health diagnoses had a quarterly MDS showing a mood severity score of 18, with difficulty sleeping, little interest in activities, and feeling depressed or hopeless nearly every day, and psychiatry notes documented PTSD and schizoaffective disorder related to past trauma and ongoing nightmares; however, the care plan contained no focus for PTSD. Another resident admitted in 2016 with PTSD and borderline personality disorder had an active PTSD diagnosis on the MDS, but the comprehensive care plan did not address PTSD, including triggers, symptoms, or trauma-informed interventions. The Social Services Director, MDS nurse, DON, and Administrator all acknowledged that the PTSD diagnosis and related care plan focus had been overlooked and that care plans were expected to be fully developed and implemented so staff would know how to properly care for residents.
Failure to Maintain Safe, Timely, and Sanitary Enteral Feeding Practices
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to provide appropriate treatment and services to prevent complications related to enteral nutrition for six residents with feeding tubes. Surveyors found that tube feeding systems were frequently hung without being dated or timed, and tubing connector tips were left uncapped between uses, despite facility policy and manufacturer guidance requiring protection of components that contact formula. Multiple residents had feeding containers spiked and primed but not infusing, with the open ends of tubing left exposed and no protective caps available. Staff interviews confirmed that caps were not provided by the facility, and nurses acknowledged that uncovered connectors could introduce germs and place residents at risk for infection. For one resident with a gastrostomy tube and severe cognitive impairment, the care plan and orders required monitoring the G-tube site for infection every shift and checking tube placement and gastric residuals. The resident was sent twice from an adult day care center to the Emergency Department and diagnosed with abdominal wall cellulitis on both occasions, after the day care staff identified abnormal G-tube findings, including leakage and inability to flush the tube. The facility’s clinical record contained no documentation that staff had identified or recorded signs or symptoms of infection before the resident left for day care on either occasion, and the Physician Assistant reported she had not been notified of excessive leakage that could contribute to recurrent cellulitis. During observation, this resident’s G-tube site was reddened with yellowish-green drainage, the feeding container had been spiked the previous day and was being reused, the connector was left uncovered, and the pump and IV pole had dried formula residue. Other residents with PEG or G-tubes also experienced deficiencies in enteral feeding management. Several residents had tube feedings hanging and infusing without dates or times on the bags, and tubing sets were observed primed and hanging with open, uncapped ends. One resident received medications via PEG tube without the nurse checking tube placement beforehand, despite a care plan intervention to check placement and gastric contents per protocol. Another resident’s feeding was labeled to start later in the day but was already spiked and primed hours in advance, with the connector left uncovered and the pump and IV pole soiled with dried feeding residue. For a resident ordered to receive tube feeding from late afternoon to early morning, the feeding was started approximately two hours late and then observed still infusing well past the ordered stop time; the resident was later found in bed with a large amount of emesis on the gown and linens, and the LPN stated she had been running behind and had not turned off the feeding. Throughout these observations, the DON, PA, RD, and product representative all confirmed that connectors should be covered, feedings should follow ordered schedules, and systems should not remain hanging beyond recommended timeframes, but the facility’s practices did not align with these expectations. Across multiple days of observation, the surveyors repeatedly noted that enteral feeding pumps and IV poles for several residents were coated with dried feeding residue on the exterior surfaces, along the poles, and at the bases, indicating that equipment used for tube feeding was not maintained in a clean and sanitary condition. Facility policies on enteral nutrition and G-tube site care required staff to monitor for signs of infection, maintain cleanliness of the tube site, assess for redness, swelling, pain, or drainage, and report signs of infection to a supervisor and physician. The policies also emphasized confirming tube placement prior to initiating feedings to reduce aspiration risk and recognizing complications such as aspiration, tube misplacement, skin breakdown, and gastrointestinal symptoms. Despite these written policies and the manufacturer’s guidance on closed versus open systems, hang times, labeling, and handling to prevent contamination, staff actions and inactions—including failure to document and report abnormal G-tube findings, failure to verify tube placement before medication administration, failure to adhere to ordered feeding schedules, and failure to keep connectors capped and equipment clean—led to the cited deficiency for all six residents receiving enteral nutrition.
Failure to Implement Effective Infection Prevention and Control Practices
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to establish and maintain an effective infection prevention and control program, as evidenced by multiple observations of noncompliance with policies, CDC guidance, and basic infection control practices. Surveyors observed that residents on Enhanced Barrier Precautions (EBP) did not have required signage posted on their room doors, despite care plans and orders indicating the need for EBP. Residents with devices such as a PEG tube, colostomy, dialysis catheter, and indwelling urinary catheter were under EBP, but their rooms lacked appropriate signage. Staff interviews confirmed that EBP should have been initiated and care planned upon admission for these residents and that signage should have been posted, but this was not done or was delayed. The deficiency also includes improper management of enteral nutrition systems for several residents receiving tube feedings. Surveyors observed tube feeding bottles and tubing hanging on poles without dates or times indicating when they were opened or hung, and with tubing primed but without protective end caps when not in use. Staff, including LPNs and the PA, acknowledged that tube feedings should be dated and timed, that they are only good for a limited period once hung, and that the absence of end caps could allow germs or bacteria to be introduced into the feeding system. The DON and Administrator stated their expectations that tube feedings be dated, timed, and capped, and that undated or uncapped systems should be replaced, but the observed practice did not align with these expectations. Additional deficiencies were identified in the cleaning and disinfection of shared equipment and surfaces between resident use. A nurse performing blood glucose checks placed used supplies and a glucometer on the medication cart surface, cleaned the glucometer, but did not disinfect the cart surface before preparing supplies for another resident on the same surface. Another nurse used a blood pressure cuff on two different residents without cleaning it between uses, stating she normally would use disinfectant wipes but forgot and did not have wipes in her cart. In a separate incident, staff used a mechanical lift to transfer a resident back to bed and then placed the lift in the hallway without cleaning it after use. Staff and leadership interviews confirmed that shared equipment and surfaces should be disinfected between residents to prevent cross-contamination, but this was not consistently done. Collectively, these observations show that the facility did not follow its own infection prevention and control policies related to EBP implementation and signage, safe handling of tube feedings, and cleaning and disinfection of shared equipment and surfaces. The facility’s policies required surveillance of staff adherence to infection control practices, proper use of standard precautions, and cleaning and reprocessing of reusable equipment between residents, but surveyors found repeated instances where these requirements were not met for multiple sampled residents.
Failure to Maintain Effective Pest Control and Environmental Practices
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain an effective pest control program to ensure the environment was free of pests and rodents, despite having a pest control contract and invoices showing routine service. Surveyors observed gnats in multiple areas of the facility on several days, including around urinals in a resident room, in the kitchen near an open double reach-in freezer, and on dishware in a unit dining room sink and tray. A cracked overhead bathroom light fixture in another room contained a large dead moth. Staff and residents reported seeing gnats, roaches, and mice in the facility, and invoices confirmed that pest control services were being provided for various pests including mice, rats, spiders, water bugs, silverfish, and roaches. Multiple observations showed that exterior doors were repeatedly propped open, allowing pests to enter the building. The kitchen delivery and emergency door was held open with a milk crate, creating a gap between the doors, and the kitchen back door was again observed held open with a milk crate on another day. Two side doors leading to the courtyard and toward the kitchen were observed open with wind blowing into the building, and a side door facing the parking lot was held open with two chairs, despite posted signs instructing that the door not be used. The Director of Maintenance, Dietary Manager, and DON each stated that these doors were expected to remain closed except during specific uses, and acknowledged that open doors allowed pests to enter and potentially contaminate food. Residents and staff provided additional accounts of pest activity. One resident reported seeing a mouse come from under a chair in his room, as well as cockroaches on the walls disappearing into ceiling tiles and gnats; a mouse glue trap was observed behind a chair in that room, and the resident stated he had reported the issue and pest control had sprayed. Another resident reported finding a mouse between the screen and window in her room, later seeing mouse droppings in the window, and receiving a meal tray with mouse droppings. STNAs reported seeing large roaches in hallways, ongoing problems with flies and gnats in dining rooms, and complaints from residents and families about gnats, while also stating that pest control spraying did not seem effective. The DON acknowledged that one resident did not like staff touching his belongings, which contributed to urinals with urine being left on a bedside table with gnats flying around them, and stated the facility should be kept clean and as nice as possible for residents.
Fatal Morphine Overdose Due to Unreconciled Concentration and Dose Errors
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure a resident was free from significant medication errors when staff administered multiple overdoses of concentrated oral morphine. The resident had COPD, chronic pain, osteoarthritis, and was placed on palliative care, later transitioning to hospice after a decline that included pneumonia, decreased oxygen saturation, shallow breathing, and lethargy. On the morning of the incident, the facility NP gave a verbal order for morphine concentrate 100 mg/5 ml at 0.25 ml (5 mg) every hour as needed, and also sent a written order to the pharmacy for this concentration and dose. However, when the LPN entered the order into the electronic medical record, she documented morphine 20 mg/5 ml with a dose of 0.25 ml (1 mg), creating a discrepancy between the NP’s intended concentration and the order recorded in the system. The pharmacy dispensed morphine sulfate 100 mg/5 ml concentrate with label directions to give 0.25 ml (5 mg) every hour as needed, consistent with the NP’s written order. When the medication arrived, the receiving LPN stated she compared the bottle to the pharmacy order and the computer but did not identify any difference between the 100 mg/5 ml label and the 20 mg/5 ml order in the EMR. Later, a hospice nurse arrived, reviewed the MAR that showed morphine 20 mg/5 ml at 0.25 ml (1 mg), and observed the first dose of 0.25 ml being administered by a CMT. Seeing continued discomfort, the hospice nurse obtained a verbal order from the hospice physician to increase the dose to 1.25 ml to equal 5 mg, basing this calculation on the 20 mg/5 ml concentration shown in the Physician Order Report and not on the actual 100 mg/5 ml concentration on the bottle or the NP’s written pharmacy order. Following the hospice nurse’s written order on the Nursing Home Visit Record to increase the dose to 1.25 ml, the CMT administered the concentrated morphine 100 mg/5 ml at 0.25 ml once and then at 1.25 ml on three subsequent occasions that afternoon, each 1.25 ml dose equaling 25 mg instead of the intended 5 mg. The CMT reported that she questioned the 1.25 ml dose because she had never given that much before, but proceeded after the hospice nurse confirmed it was correct based on the MAR. The Unit Manager and ADON both expressed concern about the 1.25 ml dose and recognized it seemed like a large amount, but clarification with hospice was delayed until late in the day. The pharmacy later confirmed that, based on the 100 mg/5 ml concentration delivered, the resident received 25 mg instead of 5 mg on three administrations within approximately three hours, a fivefold overdose each time. The resident was pronounced dead that evening, and law enforcement and the coroner were notified after hospice staff and facility staff identified a potential morphine overdose and documented that three doses had been given at five times the ordered concentration. Interviews with multiple RNs, the DON, Medical Director, and Administrator confirmed that facility expectations and policies required staff to perform the five rights of medication administration, visually compare the medication label to the EMR order and narcotic sheet, and seek clarification from the provider or pharmacy if any discrepancy or concern arose. Despite these policies, staff involved in ordering, receiving, verifying, and administering the morphine did not reconcile the differing concentrations (20 mg/5 ml vs. 100 mg/5 ml) between the EMR, the hospice documentation, and the pharmacy label. The hospice nurse based the dose increase solely on the EMR order, the receiving LPN did not detect the mismatch between the EMR and the bottle, and the CMT and nursing leadership did not stop administration or obtain timely clarification when the 1.25 ml dose appeared unusually high. These combined actions and inactions resulted in repeated administration of morphine at five times the intended dose and constituted a significant medication error. The facility’s own policies on medication administration, physician orders, and medication labeling required nurses to question inappropriate doses, verify label accuracy, and consult the provider or pharmacy when directions changed or appeared inconsistent. Staff interviews indicated that these expectations were known, including the need to reconcile the drug in hand with the EMR order and narcotic record before administration. Nonetheless, the morphine order was incorrectly entered into the EMR, the discrepancy between the EMR and the pharmacy label was not recognized at receipt or prior to administration, and the hospice nurse’s dose adjustment was calculated from the incorrect EMR concentration rather than the actual bottle concentration. The failure of multiple staff members to follow established verification processes and to resolve evident concerns about the dose led directly to the resident receiving three excessive doses of morphine concentrate and underpinned the cited deficiency for significant medication errors under 42 CFR 483.45 (F760).
Failure to Report Suspected Abuse/Neglect and Medication Error Involving Morphine Overdose
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to report an alleged violation involving potential abuse/neglect and a reasonable suspicion of a crime to state agencies as required by facility policy and regulation. The facility’s Abuse, Neglect and Misappropriation of Property policy required that any abuse allegation be reported to the state within two hours and that any reasonable suspicion of a crime with serious bodily injury be reported to the state and police. For one resident, R1, who had diagnoses including COPD, chronic pain, and osteoarthritis and who was placed on hospice care at family request, there was a medication error involving morphine dosing on the day of the resident’s death. Despite this event and subsequent involvement of law enforcement and the coroner, the facility Administrator and DON did not report the incident to the state agencies, with the Administrator stating she relied on the police to report it. On the morning of 03/12/2026, the facility NP gave a verbal order for morphine concentrate 0.25 ml every hour as needed, which she clarified as morphine concentrate 100 mg/5 ml, 0.25 ml (5 mg) every hour as needed, and she placed a written order to the pharmacy accordingly. LPN1, however, documented the order in the Physician Order Report as morphine 20 mg/5 ml, 0.25 ml (1 mg) as needed for pain. Later, a hospice nurse (HN1) wrote a hand‑written Nursing Home Visit Record increasing the morphine dose to 1.25 ml to equal 5 mg as needed, basing this on the 20 mg/5 ml concentration shown in the Physician Order Report and not on the NP’s written order to the pharmacy or the actual medication label, which both indicated 100 mg/5 ml. The morphine supplied for R1 was morphine sulfate 100 mg/5 ml concentrate, labeled to give 0.25 ml (5 mg) every hour as needed, and the Controlled Drug Record showed that on 03/12/2026, R1 received 0.25 ml at 11:30 AM and 1.25 ml at 1:46 PM, 3:11 PM, and 4:49 PM, meaning the resident was administered five times the ordered dose on three occasions. During this period, the UM and ADON expressed concern about the increased morphine dose of 1.25 ml, with the ADON instructing the UM to call hospice for clarification because the amount seemed like a lot. The UM reported she did not obtain clarification until later in the shift, and hospice documentation reflected a call at 5:10 PM questioning the order. R1 was pronounced dead at 5:53 PM that day. After the death, hospice staff raised concerns about the amount of morphine administered, reported difficulty obtaining the narcotic log, and one hospice nurse (HN2) stated she was told that the prior hospice paperwork had been shredded. The coroner and police became involved; the police retrieved the morphine, reviewed medications, and had a recorded call from the UM acknowledging that three doses had been given at five times the ordered amount. When interviewed, the DON stated that incidents to be reported to OIG would include any type of abuse and that such allegations should be brought to the Administrator, but she believed the incident was reported by police. The Administrator confirmed she did not report the allegations regarding R1 to state agencies because she knew the police were going to report the incident, even though the Medical Director acknowledged that the incident probably should have been reported. The facility’s failure, therefore, centered on not reporting the alleged violation involving potential abuse/neglect and a reasonable suspicion of a crime related to the morphine dosing error and resident death, despite clear internal policy requiring timely reporting to state agencies and, when applicable, to law enforcement. The report documents that the facility relied on law enforcement to make any required report instead of submitting its own report to the state agencies. This omission occurred in the context of conflicting morphine orders, administration of doses higher than intended based on the actual concentration, concerns raised by hospice staff and facility leadership, and subsequent involvement of the coroner and police.
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