Above average — CMS composite of the measures below.
A standard survey is most likely before around November 2026
Estimate from public CMS data, current as of July 2026. Survey timing is at the state agency's discretion.
Citation history
Health deficiencies cited at Ponchatoula Community Care Center during CMS and state inspections, most recent first.
The facility failed to store Lorazepam properly in two medication carts, as required by policy. Lorazepam, which needs refrigeration, was found at room temperature in the carts. LPNs confirmed the medication was not refrigerated after use, and pharmacists stated that improper storage could reduce its potency.
A resident's diagnosis of cataracts was not updated in the Quarterly MDS, despite being documented in clinical records. Facility staff, including the MDS coordinator and DON, confirmed the oversight. The facility's QAPI program had an open issue regarding MDS and care plans not reflecting active diagnoses, which was not addressed for this resident.
A staff member failed to perform proper hand hygiene during medication administration for a resident. After dropping a pill on the floor, the staff member discarded it but continued preparing medications without washing hands. This was confirmed by both the staff member and the Director of Nursing, who stated that proper hand hygiene was expected during medication administration.
Two residents engaged in a physical altercation after one purposefully rammed his electric wheelchair into the other, leading to a fight. Both residents were aware of their actions, which resulted in injuries. Staff and video surveillance confirmed the incident, highlighting a failure to protect residents from abuse.
A facility failed to accurately code a resident's active diagnosis of cataracts in the MDS assessment. Despite the resident's diagnosis being confirmed by an optometrist and noted by a physician, the MDS did not reflect this active diagnosis. An MDS staff member confirmed the oversight during an interview.
A resident with chronic health conditions was prescribed Lorazepam 0.25 mL for agitation or shortness of breath, but an LPN administered 0.5 mL instead. The discrepancy was documented in both the narcotic log and MAR, indicating a failure to adhere to physician orders.
The facility did not comply with nurse staffing data requirements by failing to include the facility name on the daily staffing data sheet. This was observed on a specific date and confirmed by staff members during interviews, who acknowledged the omission and lack of awareness regarding the requirement.
A resident with severe cognitive impairment and on anticoagulant medication was found with multiple bruises on both arms and the right elbow. The facility's policy requires such incidents to be reported within 24 hours, but the incident was not reported to the state agency. The DON concluded the bruises were consistent with hand placement during care, and the NFA did not report the incident, believing it was not abuse-related.
Improper Storage of Lorazepam in Medication Carts
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure proper storage of medications, specifically Lorazepam, in two of the three medication carts observed. The facility's policy requires that all drugs and biologicals be stored in a safe, secure, and orderly manner, with medications requiring refrigeration stored at a temperature between 36 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit. However, during observations, it was found that Lorazepam, which requires refrigeration, was stored at room temperature in the narcotic lock box drawers of Med Cart 2 and Med Cart 3. The Lorazepam bottles for two residents were warm to the touch and labeled with instructions to refrigerate, indicating non-compliance with the storage requirements. Interviews with the LPNs responsible for Med Cart 2 and Med Cart 3 confirmed that the Lorazepam bottles were not refrigerated as required. The LPNs acknowledged that the medication should have been placed back into the refrigerator after each dose. One LPN noted that the Lorazepam had been left in the cart for at least a week. Further interviews with a local pharmacist and the facility's pharmacist confirmed that liquid Lorazepam requires refrigeration and would lose potency if left at room temperature for extended periods. This deficiency in medication storage could potentially impact the efficacy of the medication administered to the residents.
Failure to Update Resident's MDS with Active Diagnosis
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to implement appropriate plans of action to correct identified quality deficiencies for one of the sampled residents. The Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) Program at the facility is responsible for addressing identified priorities, including the development, implementation, and evaluation of corrective actions. However, the facility did not conduct an audit on the care plan checklist for the resident in question, who was admitted with a diagnosis of cataracts. This diagnosis was not accurately reflected in the resident's Quarterly Minimum Data Set (MDS), despite being documented in the resident's clinical record and progress notes. Interviews with facility staff, including the MDS coordinator and the Director of Nursing, confirmed that the process for updating diagnoses in the MDS was not followed for this resident. The MDS coordinator acknowledged that the cataracts diagnosis should have been added to the MDS, and the Director of Nursing confirmed the oversight. The facility's administrator also acknowledged the open QAPI issue regarding MDS and care plans not reflecting active diagnoses, which had not been addressed for this resident.
Infection Control Deficiency: Improper Hand Hygiene During Medication Administration
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain an infection control program, as evidenced by improper hand hygiene during medication administration. On August 13, 2024, at 7:35 a.m., an observation was made of a staff member, S8MAC, preparing medication for Resident #12. During this process, S8MAC dropped a pill onto the floor, picked it up, discarded it, and continued to prepare additional medications without performing hand hygiene. This action was confirmed during an interview with S8MAC at 7:39 a.m., where she acknowledged not performing hand hygiene after picking up the pill off the floor and before administering medication to Resident #12. Later that day, at 4:30 p.m., an interview with S3DON revealed that the Director of Nursing expected staff to perform proper hand hygiene during medication administration. S3DON confirmed that S8MAC should have performed hand hygiene after picking up the pill off the floor before continuing with the medication administration.
Failure to Prevent Resident-on-Resident Abuse
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to protect two residents from physical abuse by each other, violating their right to be free from abuse. Resident #99, who is cognitively intact with a BIMS score of 14, reported being purposefully rammed by Resident #61's electric wheelchair while getting coffee. Resident #61, with a BIMS score of 12 indicating moderate cognitive intactness, admitted to running into Resident #99 due to a personal grievance. The incident escalated into a physical altercation where both residents engaged in hitting each other. Witnesses, including staff members, confirmed the altercation, noting that Resident #61 initiated the confrontation by ramming into Resident #99, who then defended himself. The altercation resulted in physical injuries to Resident #61, including cuts on his face and forearm. Video surveillance corroborated the accounts, showing Resident #61 deliberately running into Resident #99, leading to the physical exchange. The facility's failure to prevent this incident constitutes a deficiency in ensuring residents' safety from abuse.
Failure to Accurately Code Active Diagnosis in MDS
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that the Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessment accurately reflected the resident's status for one of the sampled residents. Specifically, the facility did not correctly code a resident's active diagnosis of cataracts. The resident was admitted with a diagnosis of cataracts, which was confirmed by an optometrist on a specific date. The resident's physician also noted the diagnosis in progress notes, indicating the resident had experienced visual loss in the left eye and required surgery. However, the MDS assessment did not include cataracts as an active diagnosis. During an interview, the MDS staff member acknowledged that the diagnosis should have been added to the quarterly MDS assessment but was not.
Failure to Follow Physician Orders for Medication Administration
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure services were provided according to physician orders for a resident with Acute on Chronic Diastolic Congestive Heart Failure and Chronic Respiratory Failure. The resident was prescribed Lorazepam Oral Concentrate 2 mg/mL, with a dosage of 0.25 mL to be administered by mouth every 4 hours as needed for agitation or shortness of breath. However, on a specific date, an LPN administered 0.5 mL of Lorazepam instead of the prescribed 0.25 mL, as documented in both the narcotic log and the Medication Administration Record (MAR). During a phone interview, the LPN stated that she checked the narcotic log for the last administered time and believed the order was for 0.5 mL every 4 hours as needed. The Director of Nursing confirmed the documentation of the 0.5 mL dose given. This discrepancy between the physician's order and the administered dose indicates a failure to follow professional standards of quality in medication administration.
Failure to Document Facility Name on Staffing Data Sheet
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure compliance with nurse staffing data requirements as outlined in their policy dated January 2023. During an observation on August 12, 2024, at 8:05 a.m., it was noted that the staffing data sheet for that day did not include the facility's name, which is a required element. This omission was confirmed during interviews with staff members S2AA and S1ADM, who both acknowledged the absence of the facility name on the staffing data sheet. S2AA stated she was unaware of the requirement to include the facility name, and S1ADM confirmed the oversight upon review.
Failure to Report Injuries of Unknown Source
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to report injuries of unknown source within 24 hours to the State Survey Agency for a resident who was severely cognitively impaired and on anticoagulant medication. The resident was found with multiple bruises on both arms and the right elbow, which were not observed by any staff or explained by the resident. The facility's policy requires such incidents to be reported immediately, but the incident was not reported to the state agency. The incident was initially reported by a CNA to an LPN, who then informed the ADON. The ADON assessed the resident and reported the findings to the DON and the NFA. The DON started an investigation and concluded that the bruises were consistent with hand placement during resident care, determining that the bruising was not abuse-related. The NFA, responsible for reporting to the state agency, did not report the incident, as he believed the bruises were caused by resident care and not abuse.
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What surveyors actually found near you
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Resident with a documented fall history left unattended on the patio; found on the ground with a hip fracture.
Walk-in cooler logs missing for 12 days; expired supplements in the medication room fridge.
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Nursing homes near Ponchatoula
How nearby facilities compare on the same public inspection record.
| Facility | Distance | Overall rating | Citations, 12 mo | Serious (J–L) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belle Maison Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, Llc | 1 mi | ★★★★★ | 1 | 0 |
| Landmark Nursing Center Hammond | 1.4 mi | ★★★★★ | 2 | 0 |
| Hammond Nursing Home | 2.9 mi | ★★★★★ | 6 | 0 |
| Heritage Healthcare Of Hammond | 3 mi | ★★★★★ | 6 | 0 |
| Forest Manor Nursing And Rehabilitation Center | 18.5 mi | ★★★★★ | 4 | 0 |
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Trusted data, never guesswork. Every citation, penalty, rating and Plan of Correction on this page is sourced from public CMS records (latest release July 2026) and official state health department websites.