Senatobia Healthcare & Rehab
Inspection history, citations, penalties and survey trends for this long-term care facility in Senatobia, Mississippi.
- Location
- 402 Getwell Dr, Senatobia, Mississippi 38668
- CMS Provider Number
- 255302
- Inspections on file
- 19
- Latest survey
- October 27, 2025
- Citations (last 12 mo.)
- 8
Citation history
Health deficiencies cited at Senatobia Healthcare & Rehab during CMS and state inspections, most recent first.
A resident's personal funds were misappropriated when a former Assistant Housekeeping Supervisor, responsible for storing the resident's belongings during a hospital stay, used the resident's debit card to make unauthorized withdrawals exceeding $8,200. The theft was substantiated through surveillance footage and staff identification, and the incident was reported as elder abuse. The resident, who was cognitively intact, experienced significant emotional distress as a result.
Two residents did not receive their prescribed controlled pain medications after an agency LPN signed out the drugs on the controlled substance log but failed to administer them or document administration on the MAR. Video evidence confirmed the LPN did not access the narcotic lock box or enter the residents’ rooms at the relevant times, and staff interviews supported the residents’ reports of not receiving their medications.
Six residents did not receive their scheduled medications when an agency LPN documented administration in the electronic record, but the medications were later found unopened on the cart. The missed medications included treatments for heart failure, epilepsy, hypertension, and infection. Staff interviews confirmed the medications were not given as documented, and one resident reported not receiving pain medication or a return visit from the nurse.
Two residents with ADL self-care deficits did not receive scheduled showers as outlined in their care plans, despite being cognitively intact and requiring assistance with personal hygiene. Facility records and staff interviews confirmed multiple missed showers and inadequate tracking of personal care, resulting in unmet hygiene needs.
Two residents who required assistance with ADLs did not receive scheduled showers as documented by facility records and confirmed by their own reports. Both residents, who were cognitively intact and had medical conditions necessitating personal care support, experienced missed showers on multiple occasions. Staff interviews and documentation review revealed gaps in the process for tracking and ensuring completion of showers, resulting in the failure to maintain personal hygiene for these residents.
A resident at risk for elopement was left unattended on the facility's porch, leading to an unsupervised exit and subsequent discovery at a nearby grocery store. Despite wearing a Wander Guard, the resident's care plan was not followed, as confirmed by interviews with facility staff. The State Agency identified an Immediate Jeopardy situation due to the facility's failure to adhere to its elopement prevention policy.
A resident identified as an elopement risk left the facility unsupervised and was found at a nearby grocery store. Staff interviews revealed that the resident often sat outside unattended, and the door alarm was turned off without ensuring supervision. The resident, who is cognitively intact, left to buy tobacco, highlighting a failure to follow the facility's elopement prevention policy.
Failure to Prevent Misappropriation of Resident Funds by Staff
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to protect a resident's right to be free from exploitation and misappropriation of personal funds. After being hospitalized and discharged to a specialty hospital, a resident's belongings were boxed and stored by a former Assistant Housekeeping Supervisor. Upon the resident's return, he reported missing items, including a cell phone, wallet with debit card, and clothing. The facility determined the phone had accompanied the resident to the hospital and replaced the missing clothing, but the resident later discovered that his debit card had been used without his consent. Interviews and record reviews confirmed that the former Assistant Housekeeping Supervisor, who had access to the resident's belongings, used the resident's debit card to make multiple unauthorized withdrawals totaling over $8,200. Surveillance footage from the bank showed the same individual making thirteen separate ATM transactions, and both the Administrator and DON identified the person as the former employee. The bank and law enforcement substantiated the exploitation, and the matter was referred as an elder abuse case. The resident, who was cognitively intact according to his MDS assessment, expressed feelings of betrayal and anger upon learning of the theft. Staff interviews confirmed that the act violated residents' rights and that the employee responsible had previously attended in-service training on abuse and misappropriation. The resident's account was eventually refunded by the bank, but the misappropriation of funds occurred while the resident's property was under the facility's care.
Failure to Prevent Misappropriation of Controlled Medications
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to protect residents from misappropriation of medications, resulting in two residents not receiving their prescribed controlled substances as documented. An agency LPN signed out an oxycodone tablet for a resident with a femur fracture on the controlled substance log, but there was no documentation on the Medication Administration Record (MAR) that the medication was administered. Video surveillance confirmed that the LPN did not access the narcotic lock box when preparing and delivering medications to the resident’s room at the time in question. In a separate incident, another resident with a diagnosis of osteomyelitis reported not receiving his pain medication during the evening shift. The controlled substance log showed that a hydrocodone tablet was signed out and documented as administered by the same agency LPN, but video evidence revealed that the LPN did not enter the resident’s room after an early evening visit. The resident, who was cognitively intact, confirmed he did not receive his night medications, including pain medication, and that the nurse never returned after the initial visit. The Director of Nursing (DON) audited narcotic records for all residents assigned to the agency LPN and confirmed discrepancies, including medications signed out without corresponding MAR documentation and lack of observed access to the narcotic box. Staff interviews corroborated that residents reported not receiving their medications, and the DON acknowledged the risks associated with diversion of narcotics and the importance of safeguarding residents’ medications.
Significant Medication Errors Due to Missed Administration and Falsified Documentation
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that residents were free from significant medication errors, as evidenced by six residents not receiving their scheduled medications on a specific evening shift. An agency LPN documented in the electronic medication administration record that all medications were given, but the next morning, multiple sealed medication packets were found unopened on the medication cart. The medications involved included treatments for conditions such as low blood pressure, Candida infection, epilepsy, hypertension, and muscle spasms. The residents affected had diagnoses including heart failure, symptomatic epilepsy, osteomyelitis, and hypertensive heart disease. Interviews with facility staff confirmed that the medications were not administered as documented. The DON reviewed the records and confirmed that the missed doses for the six residents constituted significant medication errors. One resident reported not receiving his night medications, including pain medication, and stated that the nurse did not return to his room despite his calls. The LPN involved later claimed to have experienced computer issues and signed off medications in the system after giving them, not realizing some remained on the cart. Other staff, including another LPN and the Registered Charge Nurse, corroborated that the unopened medication packets were found and that the affected residents were assessed for adverse consequences, with only one resident voicing a complaint. The facility's policy required that residents receive care and services safely and in an environment free of significant medication errors, which was not followed during this incident.
Failure to Implement Comprehensive Care Plans for Personal Hygiene
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to implement comprehensive care plans for two residents with personal hygiene needs, resulting in missed scheduled showers. One resident, who had a self-care performance deficit related to muscle weakness and required assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs), reported missing several scheduled showers and documented only receiving one shower per week during the month in question. Facility records confirmed that this resident did not receive showers on multiple scheduled days, despite care plan interventions indicating the need for assistance with hygiene and bathing. The resident was cognitively intact and able to recall and document missed showers. Another resident, with a history of cerebral infarction, hemiplegia, and limited mobility, also reported not receiving scheduled showers and could not recall receiving any showers during the previous week. Documentation showed that this resident received only a few showers during the month, with several scheduled showers missed. Both residents' care plans specified the need for assistance with personal care, but the plans were not followed. Facility staff interviews confirmed the missed showers and acknowledged the lack of a reliable system for tracking and ensuring completion of personal hygiene care.
Failure to Provide Scheduled Showers and Maintain Personal Hygiene for Two Residents
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide necessary care and assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs), specifically personal hygiene, for two residents who required help with these tasks. Both residents were cognitively intact and able to report their experiences. One resident reported missing several scheduled showers, stating that she was supposed to receive showers three times a week but had only been receiving about one per week during the month in question. She kept a personal record and noted specific dates when showers were missed, and also reported that staff did not offer or mention showers on those days. The resident described feeling dirty and socially withdrawn as a result. Review of facility documentation, specifically the Continuous Pressure Ulcer Monitoring Sheets used to track showers and baths, confirmed that both residents missed multiple scheduled showers. The records showed gaps on days when showers were supposed to be provided, and there was no documentation of refusals or alternative care being offered. Both residents had medical conditions requiring assistance with personal care, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, muscle weakness, cerebral infarction, and hemiplegia. Interviews with staff, including LPNs, CNAs, and supervisors, revealed that the process for documenting showers involved CNAs filling out sheets and nurses signing off, but there were missing records for the affected residents. Staff acknowledged the documentation gaps and confirmed that the lack of records likely indicated the showers were not provided. Supervisory staff were unaware of the missed care until the issue was brought to their attention during the survey.
Failure to Implement Effective Elopement Prevention Measures
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to implement effective comprehensive care plan interventions for a resident at risk for wandering and elopement. The resident, who had a history of cerebral vascular accident and was cognitively intact with a BIMS score of 14, was left unattended on the facility's front porch. Despite wearing a Wander Guard, the resident exited the premises unnoticed and was later found at a grocery store approximately 0.3 miles from the facility. Interviews with facility staff, including the Director of Nursing, a CNA, and an LPN, confirmed that the resident was often left unattended on the porch, despite being at risk for elopement. The care plan for the resident, which included the use of a Wander Guard and regular checks, was not followed, leading to the resident's unsupervised departure from the facility. The State Agency identified an Immediate Jeopardy situation due to the facility's failure to adhere to its policy on elopement and wandering residents. The deficiency was noted as a serious risk to the resident's safety, as well as to other residents at risk for wandering and elopement.
Removal Plan
- A passerby notified Certified Nursing Assistant #1 that she observed an individual walking up the hill that she suspected to be a resident of the center. CNA #1 immediately came into the facility and notified the receptionist. A search by staff was initiated.
- The Center's Infection Control Preventionist got in her car to go off premises to look for Resident #1. Resident #1 was observed by the Infection Control Preventionist approximately a quarter mile from the facility outside a local grocery store and successfully encouraged to get in the car.
- Resident #1 returned to the facility.
- The Licensed Practical Nurse completed a body audit on the resident with no injuries noted.
- Resident #1 was placed on hourly staff monitoring for 24 hours.
- Licensed Nurses ensured all residents were in-house via visual observation.
- Education was initiated by the Director of Nursing and a Registered Nurse Supervisor on the elopement prevention policy to include the provision that any resident at risk for elopement will receive ongoing staff supervision while outside the center for all staff. No staff will be allowed to work until in serviced.
- The State Survey Agency and Attorney General's office was notified by the interim Director of Nursing.
- Resident #1, who is alert and oriented, was provided education by the Director of Nursing to notify staff anytime she wished to go outside or leave the center.
- The Director of Nursing and a Registered Nurse Supervisor completed elopement risk assessments on all residents to determine their risk of leaving the center without adequate staff supervision.
- The Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) Committee attended by the Director of Nursing, the Medical Director via phone, Infection Control Preventionist, and the Nursing Home Administrator updated the facility's policy on Elopement Prevention to include any resident at risk for elopement would receive ongoing staff supervision while outside the center.
- A new Nursing Home Administrator started.
- A Resident Council meeting was held by the Activities Director to provide education to residents to notify their licensed nurse and to sign out prior to leaving the center.
- Care plans on all residents at risk for elopement were reviewed and updates initiated by the Administrator and Minimum Data set (MDS) Coordinator to ensure they reflect individualized interventions for those residents at risk for wandering and elopement.
- The Director of Nursing initiated education on importance of accuracy of care plan interventions related to wandering/elopement prevention to Minimum Data Set Nurses (MDS), Infection Control Preventionist, Registered Nurse Supervisors, and Medical Records Coordinator.
- A 100 percent (%) Care Plan audit was conducted by the Administrator and MDS Nurses with updates for current interventions made to care plans to ensure compliance for residents at risk for elopement.
- Resident #1's care plan was updated by the MDS Coordinator with current interventions for elopement prevention.
- An Ad Hoc Quality Assurance meeting was held to discuss the Immediate Jeopardy Removal Plan and corrective actions, interventions, and education to ensure compliance. As part of the Ad Hoc QAPI Meeting, in-service completion for both the all-staff education on the elopement prevention policy and the importance of accurate and effective care plan interventions related to wandering/elopement prevention education for the Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) was reviewed by the Administrator and QAPI Committee Members with further instruction that no staff will be allowed to work until in serviced. It was attended by the Medical Director, Director of Nursing, Infection Control Nurse, Administrator, and RN Supervisor.
Resident Elopement Due to Inadequate Supervision
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide adequate supervision to prevent a resident, identified as an elopement and wandering risk, from leaving the premises unnoticed and unsupervised. The resident was left on the front patio and subsequently exited the facility without staff awareness. Video surveillance footage confirmed that the resident left the facility at 4:05 PM and was later found at a grocery store approximately 0.3 miles away at 4:25 PM. This incident placed the resident and potentially other residents at risk for serious harm or injury. Interviews with staff revealed that the resident frequently sat outside on the porch unattended, despite being at risk for elopement. The Director of Nursing confirmed that the resident should not have been left unattended, and staff should have been present. The Front Office Receptionist admitted to turning off the door alarm to allow the resident to sit on the porch without staff supervision, and no one was monitoring the resident during this time. The resident, who is cognitively intact, recounted that she left the facility to buy tobacco and walked through parking lots without going near the street. The facility's policy on elopement and wandering residents was not followed, as the resident was not provided with adequate supervision in accordance with her person-centered plan of care. The failure to adhere to this policy resulted in the resident's unsupervised departure from the facility.
Removal Plan
- A passerby notified Certified Nursing Assistant #1 that she observed an individual walking up the hill that she suspected to be a resident of the center. CNA #1 immediately came into the facility and notified the receptionist. A search by staff was initiated.
- The Center's Infection Control Preventionist got in her car to go off premises to look for Resident #1. Resident #1 was observed by the Infection Control Preventionist approximately a quarter mile from the facility outside a local grocery store and successfully encouraged to get in the car.
- Resident #1 returned to the facility.
- The Licensed Practical Nurse completed a body audit on the resident with no injuries noted.
- Resident #1 was placed on hourly staff monitoring for 24 hours.
- Licensed Nurses ensured all residents were in-house via visual observation.
- Education was initiated by the Director of Nursing and a Registered Nurse Supervisor on the elopement prevention policy to include the provision that any resident at risk for elopement will receive ongoing staff supervision while outside the center for all staff. No staff will be allowed to work until in serviced.
- The State Survey Agency and Attorney General's office was notified by the interim Director of Nursing.
- Resident #1, who is alert and oriented, was provided education by the Director of Nursing to notify staff anytime she wished to go outside or leave the center.
- The Director of Nursing and a Registered Nurse Supervisor completed elopement risk assessments on all residents to determine their risk of leaving the center without adequate staff supervision.
- The Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) Committee attended by the Director of Nursing, the Medical Director via phone, Infection Control Preventionist, and the Nursing Home Administrator updated the facility's policy on Elopement Prevention to include any resident at risk for elopement would receive ongoing staff supervision while outside the center.
- A new Nursing Home Administrator started.
- A Resident Council meeting was held by the Activities Director to provide education to residents to notify their licensed nurse and to sign out prior to leaving the center.
- Care plans on all residents at risk for elopement were reviewed and updates initiated by the Administrator and Minimum Data set (MDS) Coordinator to ensure they reflect individualized interventions for those residents at risk for wandering and elopement.
- The Director of Nursing initiated education on importance of accuracy of care plan interventions related to wandering/elopement prevention to Minimum Data Set Nurses (MDS), Infection Control Preventionist, Registered Nurse Supervisors, and Medical Records Coordinator.
- A 100 percent (%) Care Plan audit was conducted by the Administrator and MDS Nurses with updates for current interventions made to care plans to ensure compliance for residents at risk for elopement.
- Resident #1's care plan was updated by the MDS Coordinator with current interventions for elopement prevention.
- An Ad Hoc Quality Assurance meeting was held to discuss the Immediate Jeopardy Removal Plan and corrective actions, interventions, and education to ensure compliance. As part of the Ad Hoc QAPI Meeting, in-service completion for both the all-staff education on the elopement prevention policy and the importance of accurate and effective care plan interventions related to wandering/elopement prevention education for the Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) was reviewed by the Administrator and QAPI Committee Members with further instruction that no staff will be allowed to work until in serviced. It was attended by the Medical Director, Director of Nursing, Infection Control Nurse, Administrator, and RN Supervisor.
Latest citations in Mississippi
A resident with hemiplegia, hemiparesis, and cognitive impairment had a care plan directing staff to apply and remove a right ankle splint at specific times each day and to provide passive stretching to prevent decline in ROM. Observation found the splint not in use and lying on a chair, and the resident was unsure when it was last applied. A PTA reported the resident had developed foot drop and that the splint could no longer be applied without additional therapy, attributing this to the splint not being used daily as ordered. The DON confirmed that staff failed to follow the established care plan for splint application and ROM management.
A resident with hemiplegia and hemiparesis after a cerebral infarction, and severe cognitive impairment (BIMS 5), had physician and therapy orders for right-hand and right-ankle splinting with passive ROM to manage contractures and maintain ROM. Surveyors observed a foot splint lying unused and the resident’s right hand contracted into a fist without a hand roll. The resident could not recall when the foot splint was last applied and reported never having a hand roll. An LPN was unaware of the need for the splint and confirmed no hand roll was in use. Records showed the hand splint order was discontinued at the responsible party’s request due to pain, but OT was not notified and no alternative such as a hand roll was initiated. PT had documented improved ankle ROM and recommended a PODUS boot, while a PTA later reported the resident had developed foot drop related to the ankle splint not being applied as ordered. The DON confirmed that daily ankle splint orders existed and that the hand splint was discontinued without alternative interventions to prevent contracture.
The facility failed to protect resident narcotic medications from misappropriation when an LPN handed over a medication cart’s narcotic keys to an RN without performing required narcotic counts before and after the transfer, and the cart was later found unlocked in the nurses’ station. During the subsequent shift change count, staff discovered multiple missing doses of oxycodone-acetaminophen and hydrocodone-acetaminophen prescribed PRN for pain to four residents with conditions including dementia, COPD, dysphagia, and diabetic neuropathy. Review of individual controlled drug logs showed corrected balances to account for the missing tablets, confirming that controlled substances were unaccounted for during the period of unsecured cart access and improper key control.
Two ambulatory residents with dementia, severe cognitive deficits, and known wandering behavior, each wearing a wander guard bracelet, were able to exit through a unit door when a visitor held it open, despite the door alarm sounding and prior observations that they frequently walked together and approached doors. An LPN responded to the alarm and, along with other staff, initiated a search when the residents could not be found on the unit; staff ultimately located the residents across a four-lane highway and returned them to the building without injury. The incident occurred despite facility policies requiring use of a security system for residents unable to protect themselves from harm by wandering, and staff and leadership acknowledged that the residents had a history of walking the halls together and going to doors, and that increased monitoring and restricting visitor access to door codes could have prevented the elopement.
A cognitively impaired resident with dementia, agitation, and a history of wandering was previously assessed by the IDT as not being at risk for elopement and did not have elopement precautions in place. On one occasion, a visitor exited through the front door without realizing the resident followed outside, and staff later discovered the resident alone on the front porch after being missing for several minutes. An LPN and CNA participated in locating and returning the resident, and the incident revealed that supervision and elopement risk assessment were insufficient for this resident.
A resident with Type 2 DM and moderately impaired cognition had two unstageable heel DTIs documented on the MDS and physician orders for treatment to both heels, but the comprehensive care plan did not include any problem, goals, or interventions related to these pressure injuries. LPNs responsible for MDS and care plan completion acknowledged the omission and stated that although they periodically audit by comparing orders to the care plan, this situation was missed. The DON reported she expected the wound care nurse to update the care plan with new wound treatment orders, while an RN stated she could update interventions but had not been trained to create a new focused care plan and was unaware it was her responsibility to add the DTI treatment orders to the care plan.
A controlled substance prescribed for a cognitively intact resident with a left femur fracture was delivered and signed for by an LPN but was not entered on the narcotic accountability record or narcotic box package count and was later found to be missing. One LPN reported receiving the blister pack of thirty Hydrocodone/Acetaminophen 10-325 mg tablets from another LPN, placing it on the nurses’ station, and leaving the area, while both LPNs stated they were in the medication room as the medication remained unattended. The DON and Administrator confirmed that staff failed to secure the controlled medication as required by facility policy and that the missing tablets could not be located.
Surveyors found that staff failed to properly secure and store medications for two residents. For one resident, an LPN received a delivery of Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen, passed it to another LPN, and the controlled medication was left unattended at the nurses’ station instead of being immediately locked and entered into the narcotic count, after which it could not be located. For another resident, two bottles of Lorazepam oral concentrate, documented on the narcotic record and labeled to be protected from light and refrigerated, were observed stored in a locked medication cart rather than in the designated medication refrigerator, even though staff acknowledged knowing the manufacturer’s refrigeration requirement.
A resident with hemiplegia and hemiparesis following cerebral infarction was transferred by facility van to a psychiatric hospital for evaluation and was later determined by the facility to be discharged due to aggressive behavior and threats, with staff stating they could not meet the resident’s needs. The Administrator and Social Services Director communicated with the psychiatric facility and the resident’s family about finding alternative placement and informed the family the resident would not be allowed to return, but no formal involuntary discharge notice or written appeal rights were provided, and no physician discharge order was documented, contrary to facility policies requiring a completed transfer form and written notice of transfer/discharge with appeal information.
The facility did not adequately investigate, address, or resolve repeated grievances about food quality and temperature raised through Resident Council meetings. Over several months, residents reported that weekend meals were bad, food was consistently cold, beverages lacked sufficient ice, and breakfast items were hard or unpalatable. While limited steps such as using temperature-holding containers, sending trays out faster, and in-servicing dietary staff were noted, there was no documented monitoring, follow-up, or evaluation of effectiveness. Cognitively intact residents continued to report cold, poor-tasting food, and staff, including the Dietary Manager and Social Services, acknowledged awareness of the complaints without evidence of thorough follow-up or resolution.
Failure to Implement Care Plan for Ankle Splint and ROM Management
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to implement a comprehensive, person-centered care plan for contracture management and splinting to prevent decline in range of motion for one resident. The facility’s policy on prevention of decline in range of motion required that, based on the comprehensive assessment, the facility provide interventions, exercises, and/or therapy to maintain or improve ROM. The resident’s care plan, initiated on 8/1/25, identified an ADL self-care performance deficit related to stroke, hemiplegia, and immobility, placing the resident at risk for functional decline. The care plan interventions directed staff to apply a splint to the right ankle after breakfast, provide passive stretch to the right ankle after applying the splint, remove the splint at lunchtime, reapply the splint after supper with passive stretch, and remove the splint at bedtime. On observation, the resident’s ankle splint was not in use and was found lying in a chair in the resident’s room, and the resident was unsure when the splint was last applied. The PTA reported that the resident had developed foot drop and that the ankle splint could no longer be placed without additional therapy, confirming this was related to the splint not being applied daily as ordered. The DON stated that the care plan was used to inform staff how to care for the resident and verified that staff failed to follow the care plan when they did not apply the ankle splint. Record review showed the resident was admitted with hemiplegia and hemiparesis following a cerebral infarction affecting the right dominant side, and an MDS assessment indicated a BIMS score of 5, reflecting cognitive impairment at the time of the deficiency.
Failure to Implement ROM and Splinting Orders Resulting in Contractures and Foot Drop
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide ordered range of motion (ROM) and splinting interventions to prevent decline in ROM for a resident with hemiplegia and hemiparesis following a cerebral infarction affecting the right dominant side. The resident was admitted with these diagnoses and had physician orders and therapy recommendations for contracture management and splinting. An OT evaluation documented decreased ROM in the right upper extremity and recommended a resting hand splint and a restorative splint and brace program, with a subsequent OT evaluation recommending continuation of the contracture management and splinting program. A physician order directed staff to apply a right-hand splint after breakfast, provide passive stretch to the right elbow, wrist, and hand once daily, and remove the splint before dinner. Another physician order required application of a right ankle splint after breakfast and after supper with passive stretching following application. The facility’s own policy stated that residents without limited ROM should not experience a reduction in ROM unless clinically unavoidable. During observation, surveyors noted a foot splint lying unused in the resident’s chair and the resident’s right hand contracted into a fist without a hand roll in place. The resident reported not knowing when the foot splint was last applied and stated she had never had a hand roll. An LPN stated she did not know why the splint was in the room, believed the resident was not required to wear it, and confirmed the resident did not have a hand roll. Record review showed the right-hand splint order was discontinued at the responsible party’s request due to pain, but the OT reported she had not been notified of this discontinuation and stated a hand roll should have been initiated when the splint was stopped; she further stated the resident’s hand was now contracted into a fist. A PT discharge summary documented improved right ankle ROM with therapy and recommended a PODUS boot daily for up to five hours, while a PTA later reported the resident had developed foot drop and that the ankle splint could no longer be applied without additional therapy, confirming this was related to the splint not being applied daily as ordered. The DON verified that there were physician orders for daily ankle splinting and acknowledged that the right-hand splint was discontinued without alternative interventions to prevent contracture. The resident’s MDS showed a BIMS score of 5, indicating severe cognitive impairment.
Failure to Secure Narcotic Medications and Maintain Key Control
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to protect resident medications from misappropriation on one of four medication carts, resulting in missing controlled substances for four residents. The facility’s abuse, neglect, and exploitation policy defines misappropriation of resident property as the deliberate misplacement, exploitation, or wrongful use of a resident’s belongings or money without the resident’s consent. On a specific date, during the 7:00 PM shift change narcotic count, staff identified that multiple doses of Percocet and Norco (hydrocodone-acetaminophen) were missing from the narcotic box on a single medication cart. Prior to this discovery, the assigned LPN had confirmed that the narcotic count was correct earlier in the day. The events leading to the deficiency included the LPN giving her medication cart narcotic keys to an RN while she left the area to perform a urine specimen collection. The LPN did not complete a narcotic count before or after transferring the keys, which was not in accordance with facility expectations for key control and chain of custody. When the LPN returned, she observed the medication cart in the nurses’ station and unlocked. The RN later confirmed that she had moved the cart into the nurses’ station but denied administering any medications during the time she had possession of the keys. During the subsequent 7:00 PM narcotic count, discrepancies were identified, and a search of the cart and nurses’ station did not locate the missing medications. Record review showed that four residents’ controlled medication logs required corrections to reflect missing tablets. One resident with dementia had an order for oxycodone-acetaminophen 5-325 mg every 12 hours as needed for pain; the narcotic log initially showed a remaining balance of 20 tablets after a documented administration, but was later corrected to 16 tablets to account for four missing tablets. A second resident with COPD had an order for oxycodone-acetaminophen 10-325 mg every eight hours as needed; the log was corrected from a remaining balance of five tablets to four, indicating one missing tablet. A third resident with dysphagia had an order for hydrocodone-acetaminophen 5-325 mg every 24 hours as needed; the log showed two tablets on hand after the resident returned from pass with no administrations documented, and was later corrected to zero, indicating two missing tablets. A fourth resident with type 2 diabetes mellitus with diabetic neuropathy had an order for hydrocodone-acetaminophen 7.5-325 mg every six hours as needed; the log was corrected from a remaining balance of eight tablets to seven, indicating one missing tablet. These discrepancies, combined with the unsecured cart and improper key transfer without counts, led to the determination that resident medications were not protected from misappropriation.
Failure to Prevent Elopement of Two Cognitively Impaired Wanderers
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to provide adequate supervision and prevent elopement for two residents with known wandering and elopement risk. Both residents were ambulatory, frequently walked throughout the facility together, and were known to staff as wanderers. Each resident had a diagnosis of dementia with severe cognitive deficits documented on their MDS assessments, and both had Wander/elopement alarms (wander guard bracelets) in place and used daily. The facility’s elopement/wandering policy stated that residents who are incapable of adequately protecting themselves and unable to determine when they are at risk for harm by wandering out of the facility should be placed on the resident security system to ensure safety. On the day of the incident, video surveillance later reviewed by the Administrator showed that a visitor entered an exit door on the B Unit at approximately 6:20 PM. The two residents at risk for elopement approached the door, and the visitor held the door open, allowing them to walk out of the building. The residents were wearing wander guard bracelets, and when they exited, the door alarm sounded. A nurse responded immediately to the alarm, exited the facility, and went down the walkway but did not see the residents. Staff were then alerted that the residents were missing, and a facility-wide search was initiated. Staff interviews and the facility’s documentation confirmed that the residents had previously been observed walking together throughout the facility and approaching doors, including the exit door involved in the incident. The Administrator reported that review of the video showed the two residents had approached the same door together two or three times prior to the elopement event. Despite their known patterns of wandering, severe cognitive impairment, and prior door-approach behavior, the residents were able to exit the facility unnoticed and unsupervised when the visitor held the door open. Staff ultimately located the residents across a four-lane high-capacity highway approximately 528 feet from the exit door and returned them to the facility, where body audits and assessments documented no injuries and intermittent confusion. The State Agency determined that the facility’s failure to provide adequate supervision to prevent the elopement of these residents, who had exhibited exit-seeking behaviors, placed them and other residents at risk for wandering and elopement in a situation likely to cause serious injury, harm, impairment, or death and cited the facility at F689 with Immediate Jeopardy and Substandard Quality of Care. The residents’ medical records and elopement reports documented that both were confused, had impaired memory, and were identified as wanderers. One resident had a BIMS score of 3 and the other a BIMS score of 0, both indicating severe cognitive deficits. Progress notes and elopement reports recorded that staff were notified when the residents were not on the unit and could not be located, that all staff were engaged in searching, and that the residents were ultimately found outside and assisted back into the building. Interviews with CNAs and an LPN described hearing a Code W called, running outside, and seeing the residents across the street after they had crossed the four-lane highway. The DON acknowledged that the residents were always walking in the facility, often together, and that they had wandered to doors and looked out, and agreed that increased monitoring and not allowing visitors to have door codes could have prevented the residents from leaving the building.
Removal Plan
- Conducted a facility search.
- Notified police of missing residents.
- Director of Nursing interviewed staff and residents.
- Notified the Medical Director and residents’ families.
- Administrator and Director of Nursing checked the wander guard system and facility doors to ensure proper functioning.
- Returned Resident #1 and Resident #2 to the facility.
- Completed an incident report.
- Completed an emergency Quality Assurance meeting.
- Initiated in-service training for all staff on the elopement policy, including a quiz to validate comprehension, and required staff (including contract staff) to complete the in-service before working their next scheduled shift, with Administrator monitoring compliance.
- Responded immediately to the door alarm by sending staff outside to locate residents and notifying additional staff to assist with the search.
- Reviewed video surveillance and confirmed a visitor held the door open allowing residents to exit.
- Held an emergency Quality Assurance meeting with the Medical Director, Director of Nursing, Administrator, Regional Director, involved staff, and Infection Preventionist.
- Changed the main entry door code.
- Verified entrance door signage was in place instructing not to allow residents to exit unaccompanied.
- Identified residents at risk for elopement and ensured elopement bracelets/transmitters were functional and doors were locking appropriately.
- Reviewed care plans for residents at risk for elopement.
- Completed body audits on Resident #1 and Resident #2.
- Conducted audits verifying resident location, elopement risk, and wander guard bracelet function.
- Medical Records updated care profiles of residents at risk for wandering.
- Assistant Administrator began audits of all doors for function and security.
- Provided in-services on elopement policy and procedure, Resident Rights, and incident and accident reporting.
- Conducted elopement drills on each shift.
- Implemented monitoring systems to sustain compliance.
- Director of Nursing to monitor wander guard system checks three times weekly for four weeks or until substantial compliance is attained.
- Director of Nursing to monitor resident behavior for elopement attempts via incident reports, observations, and communications weekly for four weeks or until substantial compliance is attained.
- Quality Assurance Committee to meet for four weeks to review compliance with the plan of action, then continue routine Quality Assurance monitoring if no further concerns are noted.
- Administrator to hold follow-up Quality Assurance meetings monthly for two months then quarterly thereafter to ensure sustained compliance.
- Updated entry screening kiosk to include an additional reminder and attestation to ensure resident safety, requiring visitors to agree that no resident comes in or out with them and triggering a staff alert if the visitor refuses.
- Administration spoke directly with the visitor to confirm visitor policies and procedures.
Elopement of Cognitively Impaired Resident Due to Inadequate Supervision
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide adequate supervision to prevent a cognitively impaired resident with a history of wandering from exiting the building unattended. The resident had diagnoses including dementia with agitation and a BIMS score of three, indicating severe cognitive impairment. The resident had been readmitted from a geriatric psychiatric hospitalization and was known by the DON to have a history of wandering. Despite this, the interdisciplinary team had previously determined that the resident was not at risk for elopement, and no elopement interventions such as a wander guard were in place at the time of the incident. On the day of the event, a visitor observed the resident standing near the front door and exited the facility without realizing the resident followed him outside. Staff later became aware that the resident was missing, and an LPN assisted in locating the resident. A CNA ultimately found the resident outside on the front porch and returned the resident to the facility, with the investigation determining the resident had been outside unattended for approximately five minutes. Staff interviews confirmed that the resident ambulated in the halls and had not previously attempted to exit the building, and that the resident was only reassessed and provided with a wander guard after the incident.
Failure to Care Plan for Pressure Injuries and Treatment Orders
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to develop a comprehensive person-centered care plan for a resident with pressure injuries. The facility’s undated Care Plan Policy and Procedure stated that each resident’s care plan would remain current and inform staff of needs, strengths, goals, and approaches, and that a comprehensive person-centered care plan would be completed as needed. Record review showed that the resident was admitted with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus with ketoacidosis without coma and, per the Discharge MDS with an ARD of 1/19/26, had a BIMS score of 12 indicating moderately impaired cognition. Section M of the MDS documented two unstageable pressure injuries presenting as deep tissue injuries (DTIs). Physician orders dated 12/10/25 directed treatment to right and left DTI pressure ulcers. Despite these documented DTIs and treatment orders, review of the resident’s comprehensive care plan revealed no care plan addressing the DTIs on the left and right heels, which was inconsistent with the physician orders. During interviews, two LPNs responsible for MDS and care plan completion confirmed that the care plan did not include the DTIs and stated that care plans are developed based on the MDS and physician orders, and that audits comparing orders to care plans are done periodically but this had been missed. The DON stated her expectation that the wound care nurse update the care plan with new wound care treatment orders. An RN reported she could update care plan interventions but had not been trained to develop a new focused care plan and had not added the physician’s DTI treatment orders to the care plan, and she was not aware it was her responsibility to do so.
Unsecured Controlled Medication Left Unattended and Lost
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to prevent misappropriation of resident property when a controlled substance prescribed for a resident was left unattended and subsequently went missing. Facility policies on abuse and neglect defined misappropriation of resident property to include missing prescription medications or diversion of resident medications, including controlled substances, and the Medication-Controlled Substances policy required that only authorized licensed nursing and pharmacy personnel have access to controlled medications, that all controlled substances be stored in a locked cabinet or compartment, and that accurate accountability of all controlled drugs be maintained. Despite these policies, a pharmacy courier delivered thirty Hydrocodone/Acetaminophen 10-325 mg tablets for a resident with a left femur fracture, and the medication was signed for by an LPN but was not signed onto the narcotic accountability record, was not documented on the narcotic box package count, and could not be located. The resident, who was cognitively intact with a BIMS score of 15 and had a physician’s order for Hydrocodone/Acetaminophen, was later informed that the tablets delivered had been lost. Interviews revealed that one LPN received the blister pack of thirty Hydrocodone/Acetaminophen tablets from another LPN and placed it on the nurses’ station before leaving the area, leaving the controlled medication unattended. Both LPNs reported being in the medication room while the medication remained unattended at the nurses’ station. The DON reported being notified that the medication was missing and that an investigation confirmed the medication could not be located and had been left unattended, and the Administrator confirmed staff failed to ensure controlled medications were secured and accessible only to authorized personnel and that the facility was unable to determine the location of the missing medication.
Failure to Secure Controlled Drugs and Follow Refrigerated Storage Requirements
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to store and secure medications, including controlled substances, in accordance with professional standards and manufacturer instructions. For Resident #1, who was admitted with a left femur fracture and was cognitively intact with a BIMS score of 15, the physician ordered Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen 10-325 mg tablets. A facility investigation documented that a pharmacy courier delivered 30 tablets of this controlled medication, which were received and signed for by an LPN but were never documented in the narcotic count system and were later unable to be located. One LPN reported that after receiving the Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen from another LPN, she left the medication unattended at the nurses’ station while she completed other tasks instead of immediately securing it in the locked medication cart. The LPN who initially received the medication from the courier confirmed that the controlled medication had not been immediately secured in the locked cart following delivery. For Resident #3, who was admitted with heart disease and had a BIMS score of 10 indicating moderately impaired cognition, the physician ordered Lorazepam (Ativan) oral concentrate. The narcotic record showed that two containers of Lorazepam were signed into the narcotic record on the date of admission. Manufacturer prescribing information for the Lorazepam oral concentrate specified that it must be protected from light and stored refrigerated at 36–46°F. During a controlled drug count, surveyors observed that two bottles of Lorazepam oral concentrate for this resident were stored in the locked medication cart rather than in a refrigerator, despite the label instructions requiring refrigeration. One LPN confirmed the manufacturer’s storage instructions on the label but was unsure why the medication had not been refrigerated, and another LPN acknowledged awareness that the medication required refrigeration but confirmed it had been stored in the medication cart instead of the designated medication refrigerator.
Failure to Provide Required Involuntary Discharge Notice and Appeal Rights
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to provide required written notice of an involuntary discharge, including appeal rights, and to obtain a physician’s discharge order before refusing readmission of a resident following a hospital transfer. Facility policy titled “Transfer Form” stated that it is the policy of the facility to provide a completed and accurate transfer form to residents transferred or discharged from the facility, and the policy titled “Appealing a Transfer or Discharge Notice” stated that residents have the right to appeal transfer or discharge notices and, upon notice of transfer or discharge, will be provided with a statement of their right to appeal. Record review showed that the resident, admitted with hemiplegia and hemiparesis following cerebral infarction, left the facility by facility van to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital for evaluation. Progress notes dated several days after the transfer documented that the resident had been discharged from the facility due to aggressive behavior and that, per conversation with the psychiatric hospital, the Administrator and Social Services Director would assist in finding alternative placement and home health if needed. Documentation further indicated that, due to threats made, the facility stated it was unable to meet the resident’s needs and communicated with the resident’s family that the resident would not be allowed to return. During interview, the Administrator confirmed that neither the resident nor the family was provided a formal involuntary discharge notice or information on appeal rights and that no physician order for discharge could be located, acknowledging that the formal notice, appeal rights, and physician order should have been obtained prior to discharge.
Failure to Investigate and Resolve Ongoing Food-Related Grievances
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that grievances voiced through the Resident Council regarding food quality and temperature were thoroughly investigated, addressed, and resolved. Resident Council minutes over multiple months documented repeated complaints that weekend food was "bad," tasted sweet, and that food was cold by the time it reached residents. Additional concerns included insufficient ice in water and tea, hard breakfast biscuits and toast, and cold grits. Although the facility’s grievance policy stated that residents and families could voice grievances without reprisal and that the facility would make prompt efforts to resolve grievances, there was no documentation that the initial complaint about weekend food quality was addressed, and subsequent complaints continued without evidence of thorough investigation or resolution. Resident Council Department Response Forms showed limited actions, such as placing food in containers to maintain temperature, conducting an in‑service for dietary staff, sending food out faster, and instructing staff to pass trays promptly, but there was no documentation of monitoring, follow‑up, or evaluation of whether these measures were effective. Residents interviewed, all cognitively intact per their MDS BIMS scores, consistently reported that the food remained cold and did not taste good, with one resident noting that staff would reheat food only if requested. The Dietary Manager acknowledged awareness of the complaints and stated he had spoken with weekend staff and made changes like replacing tray carts and providing guidance on food preparation, but confirmed there was no documentation of ongoing monitoring or additional interventions. Social Services and the Administrator both acknowledged awareness of the complaints and that additional follow‑up and resolution efforts should have occurred, yet no evidence of such follow‑up was present in the records.
Trusted data from CMS and state health departments
Every citation, penalty and Plan of Correction is sourced from public CMS records (latest release May 27, 2026) and official state health department websites — never guesswork.
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