Davis Health And Wellness Center At Cambridge Vill
Inspection history, citations, penalties and survey trends for this long-term care facility in Wilmington, North Carolina.
- Location
- 83 Cavalier Drive Ste 200, Wilmington, North Carolina 28405
- CMS Provider Number
- 345568
- Inspections on file
- 18
- Latest survey
- March 26, 2026
- Citations (last 12 mo.)
- 8
Citation history
Health deficiencies cited at Davis Health And Wellness Center At Cambridge Vill during CMS and state inspections, most recent first.
The facility failed to maintain the required eight consecutive hours of RN coverage per day on multiple occasions, despite having a census of fewer than 60 residents. Review of PBJ reports, daily census postings, staffing sheets, and timecards showed that on several days no RN was scheduled or worked the required continuous hours. The Administrator, who is responsible for ensuring RN coverage, acknowledged ongoing difficulties in maintaining this requirement, citing reliance on agency RNs and the unavailability of the prior DON when agency RNs did not report for their scheduled shifts.
The facility failed to obtain and document informed consent before initiating psychotropic antidepressant medications for seven cognitively intact or mildly impaired residents with conditions such as depression, anxiety, stroke, dementia, insomnia, and falls. Physician orders and MARs showed that medications including duloxetine, sertraline, amitriptyline, trazodone, bupropion, and Prozac were administered as ordered, but EMRs lacked evidence that residents or responsible parties were informed of the medication names, purposes, risks, benefits, alternatives, or their right to refuse, and there were no signed consent forms or progress notes reflecting consent discussions. In interviews, the Case Manager and DON reported they were unaware that consent was required for psychotropic medications and acknowledged the facility had not been obtaining informed consent, while the Physician stated she was unaware consent had not been obtained and affirmed that informed consent prior to starting psychotropic medications is essential.
Surveyors found that kitchen staff failed to discard multiple expired food items stored in a reach-in refrigerator, including opened containers of sauerkraut, canned pears, canned tuna, and canned pork and beans that were kept past their labeled discard dates. A weekend cook reported that all kitchen staff were responsible for checking and discarding expired foods but acknowledged he had not checked the refrigerator and had overlooked the expired items on a prior shift. The Dietary Manager stated that perishable foods were to be discarded after 3 days and that staff should have removed the items on their discard dates, while the Administrator stated she expected kitchen staff to check for and remove expired foods daily.
A resident with chronic osteomyelitis and diabetes had an order for doxycycline 100 mg PO twice daily, but over several days eight doses were not administered because the medication was unavailable or awaiting pharmacy delivery. Multiple nurses documented the missed doses on the MAR yet did not notify the physician, with some stating they did not think or realize notification was necessary. The DON stated she expected staff to notify the provider when medications are unavailable, and the physician reported being unaware of the missed doses and stated that medications should be administered as ordered and that the provider should be notified if a medication is not available.
A resident with chronic osteomyelitis and diabetes had an order for doxycycline 100 mg PO BID, but eight consecutive doses were not administered over several days because the medication was repeatedly unavailable. Multiple nurses documented the drug as unavailable, did not consistently check the automated dispensing machine, and often failed to contact the pharmacy or request use of the backup system, while one nurse learned of a discrepancy between the pharmacy’s once-daily entry and the facility’s BID order but did not escalate it to the DON or physician. The DON stated she expected medications to be administered as ordered and that staff should use the automated dispensing machine and backup pharmacy when medications are not on hand, and the Pharmacy Manager reported that the pharmacy had entered the order incorrectly and that, if notified, the medication would have been supplied through backup processes, noting the potential risk of infection worsening from the missed doses.
A resident receiving hydroxyzine 25 mg for pruritus continued to be administered the medication three times daily because a physician-approved change to twice-daily dosing, recommended in the Consultant Pharmacist’s monthly medication regimen review, was not entered into the EMR. The DON, who received the pharmacist’s emailed report and described a process for obtaining physician signatures and updating orders, did not promptly act on the December review, resulting in ongoing administration of the higher-frequency dose until the pharmacist later alerted her that the change had not been implemented.
Three residents experienced significant medication errors due to failures in medication availability, order transcription, and timely implementation of dose changes. One resident with chronic osteomyelitis missed multiple consecutive doses of doxycycline when several nurses documented the drug as unavailable and did not promptly secure it from the pharmacy. Another resident with depression and Parkinson’s disease received 15 mg of mirtazapine nightly instead of the intended 7.5 mg after the DON mis-entered the order and the facility’s two-step verification process was not completed. A third resident with pruritus continued to receive hydroxyzine 25 mg three times daily because a physician-approved dose reduction to twice daily, identified in a pharmacist’s medication regimen review, was not promptly entered into the EMR, and the higher-frequency dosing continued until the DON eventually updated the order.
Two residents with histories of falls and related diagnoses did not have person-centered care plans addressing fall risk, despite assessments indicating the need. Both experienced multiple falls during their stays, and the required care plans were not developed or updated due to missed actions by the MDS Nurse and lack of participation in weekly IDT meetings.
The facility failed to implement a comprehensive system to monitor antibiotic use, as required by their Antibiotic Stewardship Program policy, affecting all 18 residents over a 12-month period. Monthly reports lacked necessary data such as surveillance logs and trends in infection. Staff interviews revealed a lack of oversight and responsibility, with the Compliance Coordinator and DON unaware of the deficiencies in tracking and documentation.
Failure to Maintain Required Daily RN Coverage
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to ensure that a Registered Nurse (RN) was on duty for at least eight consecutive hours per day, seven days a week, as required. Review of the Payroll Based Journal (PBJ) reports for the federal fiscal third and fourth quarters of 2025 showed days without the required RN coverage. Daily census posting sheets from April through September 2025 documented a consistent census of fewer than 60 residents and confirmed that on multiple specific dates there was no RN coverage for eight consecutive hours. Daily nursing staffing sheets for the same period also showed that no RN was scheduled for at least eight consecutive hours on those dates, and timecard records confirmed that no RN actually worked eight consecutive hours on those days. During an interview, the Administrator stated she was responsible for ensuring that an RN was scheduled to work eight consecutive hours each day and acknowledged ongoing difficulties in maintaining this required coverage since she began her role. She reported that the facility relied on agency nurses to fill RN shifts, and when an agency RN did not report for a scheduled shift, she was often unable to secure a replacement. She also noted that the previous Director of Nursing was unavailable during these times, which contributed to the gaps in the required RN coverage.
Failure to Obtain Informed Consent for Psychotropic Antidepressant Medications
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to obtain and document informed consent prior to initiating psychotropic antidepressant medications for seven residents reviewed for unnecessary medications. For each of these residents, physician orders were in place for various antidepressants, including duloxetine, sertraline, amitriptyline, trazodone, bupropion, and Prozac, and the Medication Administration Records (MARs) showed that the medications were administered as ordered. However, the electronic medical records (EMRs) contained no documentation that the residents or their responsible parties were informed in advance of the name and purpose of the medications, the risks and benefits, alternatives, or the right to refuse, and there were no signed informed consent forms or progress notes reflecting informed consent discussions. One resident admitted with depression had an order for duloxetine 30 mg twice daily, was documented as cognitively intact on the MDS, and received the antidepressant in February and March, but there was no record of informed consent. Another resident with stroke and depression had orders for sertraline 75 mg at bedtime and later amitriptyline 25 mg at bedtime for insomnia; the resident had mild cognitive impairment and received these medications, yet the EMR lacked any documentation of informed consent for either psychotropic medication. A third resident with stroke and depression, cognitively intact per MDS, received sertraline 150 mg daily and later 100 mg daily over several months, with MARs confirming administration, but again without any EMR documentation that risks and benefits were discussed or consent obtained. Additional residents were similarly affected. One cognitively intact resident with major depressive disorder, anxiety, falls, and muscle weakness had new orders for trazodone 50 mg at bedtime as needed for insomnia and bupropion SR 150 mg daily for depression, and received both medications, but there was no documentation of informed consent. Another cognitively intact resident with dementia and insomnia continued trazodone 50 mg at bedtime, and two cognitively intact residents with major depression received Prozac 10 mg daily and duloxetine 20 mg twice daily, respectively; in all three cases, MARs confirmed ongoing administration, but EMRs lacked any evidence that the residents or responsible parties were informed about the medications, including their purpose, risks, benefits, alternatives, or right to refuse, and there were no signed consent forms or progress notes documenting such discussions. Interviews with the Case Manager and DON confirmed they were not aware that consent was required for psychotropic medications and that the facility had not been obtaining informed consent prior to initiation, and the Physician stated she was unaware consent had not been obtained and that obtaining informed consent prior to initiating psychotropic medications was essential.
Failure to Discard Expired Food Items in Kitchen Refrigerator
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed that kitchen staff failed to discard multiple expired food items stored in one of two reach-in refrigerators, contrary to professional standards and facility expectations for food safety. During an initial kitchen tour on 03/22/26 at 10:20 AM with a staff member identified as #1, surveyors found an opened plastic container of sauerkraut with a discard date of 2/24/26, an opened plastic container of canned pears with a discard date of 3/12/26, an opened plastic container of canned tuna with a discard date of 3/19/26, and an opened plastic container of canned pork and beans with a discard date of 3/21/26 still stored in the refrigerator. In an interview at 10:25 AM on 03/22/26, the weekend cook (staff #1) stated that all kitchen staff were responsible for checking and discarding expired foods, acknowledged he had not checked the refrigerator that morning, and confirmed he had also worked the previous day when the expired items were overlooked. In a 03/24/26 interview at 12:42 PM, the Dietary Manager stated that perishable foods were to be discarded after 3 days and that staff should have removed the foods on their discard dates, and in a separate interview at 12:52 PM the Administrator stated she expected kitchen staff to check for expired foods daily and remove any foods by the discard date.
Failure to Notify Physician of Multiple Missed Antibiotic Doses
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to notify the physician when a resident missed multiple ordered doses of an antibiotic. The resident was admitted with diagnoses including chronic osteomyelitis and diabetes and had a physician’s order dated 2/13/26 for doxycycline 100 mg by mouth twice daily indefinitely for chronic osteomyelitis. Review of the March 2026 MAR showed that on 3/9/26, both the lunch and evening doses were documented as not administered due to the medication being unavailable, with no corresponding documentation in the nursing progress notes that the physician was notified. On 3/10/26, the lunch dose was again documented as not administered because the medication was unavailable, and the evening dose was not given while staff documented they were waiting for pharmacy delivery, with no evidence of physician notification. Further review showed that on 3/11/26, both the lunch and evening doses were not administered due to the medication being unavailable or awaiting pharmacy refill, and on 3/12/26, both the lunch and evening doses were also not administered because the medication was unavailable. In total, eight doses of doxycycline were missed without physician notification. Interviews with multiple nurses confirmed they did not inform the physician when the antibiotic was unavailable and not administered, with some nurses stating they did not think it was necessary or did not realize notification was required. The DON stated she expected medications to be administered as ordered and that staff should notify the provider when a medication is not available. The physician reported being unaware that the resident had missed eight doses of the prescribed antibiotic and stated that medications should be available and administered as ordered, and that the provider should be notified if a medication is not available.
Failure to Obtain and Administer Ordered Antibiotic Therapy
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to provide prescribed pharmaceutical services by not obtaining and administering doxycycline 100 mg twice daily as ordered for a resident with chronic osteomyelitis and diabetes. A physician order dated 2/13/26 directed that the resident receive doxycycline 100 mg by mouth twice per day indefinitely for chronic osteomyelitis. Review of the March 2026 MAR showed that eight consecutive doses of doxycycline were not administered on 3/9/26, 3/10/26, 3/11/26, and 3/12/26, with nurses documenting that the medication was unavailable, awaiting pharmacy delivery, or awaiting pharmacy refill. The physician later stated she was unaware that eight doses had been missed and indicated that medications should be available and administered as ordered. On 3/9/26, the nurse assigned from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM documented that the lunch dose was not given because the medication was unavailable in the resident’s medication cabinet and acknowledged she did not check the automated medication dispensing machine or contact the pharmacy or local backup pharmacy. Another nurse documented the evening dose on 3/9/26 as unavailable and not administered. On 3/10/26, one nurse documented the lunch dose as unavailable and not administered, and another nurse documented the evening dose as waiting for pharmacy delivery and not administered. On 3/11/26, the day nurse documented the lunch dose as unavailable and awaiting pharmacy refill, and reported that she did not check the automated dispensing machine or contact the pharmacy, assuming the medication would arrive later. On the nights of 3/11/26 and 3/12/26, the night nurse reported that the doxycycline was not in the resident’s medication cabinet and that, although she checked the automated dispensing machine, the correct dose was not available there. She acknowledged that she did not contact the pharmacy on 3/11/26 and, when she did call on 3/12/26, she did not request that the medication be sent through the backup system and did not report the discrepancy in dosing frequency between the pharmacy’s once-daily entry and the facility’s twice-daily order to the DON or physician. The DON stated she expected medications to be administered as ordered and that nurses should notify the pharmacy and use the automated dispensing machine and local backup pharmacy when medications were not available. The Pharmacy Manager reported that the pharmacy had systems for daily availability, including twice-daily deliveries and backup processes, and stated that if notified, the doxycycline would have been sent through the backup system; he also confirmed the pharmacy had entered the order as once daily instead of twice daily and acknowledged the potential risk for worsening of the infection due to the missed doses.
Failure to Implement Pharmacist-Recommended Change in Hydroxyzine Dosing
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to act on a Consultant Pharmacist’s monthly medication regimen review and update a resident’s hydroxyzine order in the electronic medical record after the physician had signed to change the order. Resident #8, admitted with diagnoses including pruritus, had a physician’s order dated 7/10/23 for hydroxyzine 25 mg three times a day for pruritus. The Consultant Pharmacist’s Medication Regimen Review dated 1/12/26 documented that on 12/12/25 the physician signed the pharmacy consult report to change the hydroxyzine to 25 mg every morning and midday and discontinue the three-times-daily dosing. However, this new order was not entered into the electronic medical record. Review of the Medication Administration Record from 12/12/25 through 1/18/26 showed that Resident #8 continued to receive hydroxyzine 25 mg three times a day, as evidenced by nursing signatures, indicating the original order remained in effect despite the physician-approved change. The Director of Nursing reported that the Consultant Pharmacist emailed monthly medication regimen reviews and described a process in which physician recommendations from these reviews were to be placed in a physician’s notebook and, once signed, entered into the electronic record. The DON stated she was new to the facility in December 2025 and did not promptly address the December pharmacy reports, resulting in a delay in implementing the reduced hydroxyzine dosing until the Consultant Pharmacist notified her the following month that the frequency had not been changed. The Clinical Compliance Administrator confirmed that medication regimen reviews were expected to be addressed as soon as the DON received them.
Multiple Medication Administration and Order-Entry Errors Affecting Three Residents
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves multiple significant medication errors affecting three residents. One resident with chronic osteomyelitis and diabetes had a physician order dated 2/13/26 for doxycycline 100 mg by mouth twice daily indefinitely. Review of the March 2026 MAR showed that eight consecutive doses of doxycycline, both midday and evening, were not administered over four days, with nurses documenting that the medication was unavailable, awaiting pharmacy delivery, or awaiting refill. Several nurses who were assigned to the resident during this period acknowledged that the ordered antibiotic was not given and reported that they did not contact the pharmacy to obtain the medication, or only did so after multiple missed doses. The physician later stated she had been unaware that eight doses were missed and characterized the failure to administer the prescribed antibiotic as a significant medication error. A second deficiency involved a resident admitted with major depression and Parkinson’s disease. The hospital discharge summary ordered mirtazapine 15 mg, one-half tablet by mouth at 11:00 PM. However, on 2/27/26 the DON entered an order in the electronic record for mirtazapine 15 mg by mouth at bedtime, resulting in the resident receiving a full 15 mg tablet nightly instead of the intended 7.5 mg dose. The MAR from 2/27/26 through 3/10/26 showed that 15 mg doses were administered each night, and there was no documentation during that period of any clarification or correction of the dose by the prescriber. The DON later stated she had transcribed the order incorrectly and that the facility’s two-step verification process for new orders was not completed for this medication. A third deficiency concerned a resident admitted with pruritus who had a physician’s order dated 7/10/23 for hydroxyzine 25 mg three times daily. A consultant pharmacist’s medication regimen review dated 1/12/26 noted that the physician had signed a prior pharmacy consult report from 12/12/25 to change the hydroxyzine to 25 mg every morning and midday and discontinue the three-times-daily schedule, and requested that the electronic record be corrected and the medication error reported. Despite this, the MAR from 12/12/25 through 1/18/26 showed the resident continued to receive hydroxyzine 25 mg three times daily. The physician’s order in the electronic record was not updated to twice daily until 1/19/26. The DON stated she was new to the role, received the monthly pharmacist reviews, and did not promptly address the December report, resulting in the resident continuing on the higher frequency dosing until the order was finally changed. Across these three cases, surveyors identified failures in ensuring medications were available and administered as ordered, accurate transcription of physician orders, and timely implementation of pharmacist-recommended order changes. The pharmacy manager stated that the pharmacy had systems for daily medication availability and backup processes, and acknowledged the potential risk associated with missing multiple doses of an antibiotic. The DON stated she expected medications to be administered as ordered and that nursing staff should contact the pharmacy when medications were not available, but in these instances, staff either did not contact the pharmacy in a timely manner or did not correct orders in the electronic record, leading to prolonged deviations from prescribed regimens.
Failure to Develop and Implement Fall Risk Care Plans
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to develop and implement person-centered care plans addressing fall risk for two residents who had documented histories of falls and related diagnoses. For the first resident, who was cognitively intact and had a left knee fracture, the Minimum Data Set (MDS) admission assessment triggered the need for a fall risk care plan, but none was created. This resident experienced multiple falls during their stay, as documented in nursing progress notes and event reports, yet the care plan was not updated to address fall risk. The MDS Nurse confirmed that the care area assessment for falls was triggered and acknowledged that a fall risk care plan should have been initiated but was missed. The MDS Nurse also did not attend weekly interdisciplinary team (IDT) meetings where care plans were to be reviewed and updated, and the Interim Director of Nursing (DON) confirmed that the care plan should have been updated during these meetings. Similarly, the second resident, who had severe cognitive impairment and a history of falls, also did not have a fall risk care plan in place despite the MDS assessment triggering the need for one. This resident experienced several falls during their stay, as documented in nursing progress notes. The MDS Nurse again confirmed that the fall risk care plan was not developed as required and stated it was missed. The Interim DON reiterated that the care plan should have been updated during weekly IDT meetings, but the MDS Nurse's absence from these meetings contributed to the deficiency. The Administrator confirmed that the MDS Nurse was responsible for developing the fall risk care plans for both residents.
Failure to Implement Antibiotic Stewardship Program
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to implement a comprehensive system to monitor antibiotic use, as required by their Antibiotic Stewardship Program policy. This deficiency was evident over a 12-month period from January 2024 to December 2024, affecting all 18 residents in the facility. The monthly antibiotic summary reports reviewed did not include necessary information such as surveillance logs, microbiology testing results, or trends in infection, nor did they document the antibiotics ordered. The facility's policy, last revised in February 2023, required the review of essential data including antibiotic orders and infection trends, which was not adhered to. Interviews with facility staff revealed a lack of oversight and responsibility for the antibiotic stewardship program. The Compliance Coordinator, who was SPICE trained and responsible for overseeing the Infection Control Program, was unaware that the previous Infection Preventionist had not completed the necessary surveillance or tracking of infections. The Director of Nursing, who assumed the role of Infection Preventionist in December 2024, acknowledged receiving a list of antibiotics from the pharmacy but had not documented antibiotic use or tracked infections. The interim Administrator, in position since January 2025, recognized the need for a comprehensive infection control program but was unaware of the reasons for the lack of tracking and trending of infections and antibiotic use prior to her tenure.
Latest citations in North Carolina
A cognitively impaired, exit-seeking resident with dementia, insomnia, gait abnormalities, orthostatic hypotension, and high fall risk repeatedly wandered at night and was known by staff to push on an emergency exit door. On two consecutive nights, the resident left the building unsupervised through a west hall emergency exit that had been manually left unlocked and with its door alarm turned off, so no alarm sounded when it was used. After the first elopement, the nurse and NA did not verify that the door’s lock and alarm were re-engaged, and no new monitoring was implemented, allowing the resident to exit again a few hours later. Maintenance later confirmed the door hardware and alarm were functioning properly and could only be disabled manually, meaning staff actions and inactions in securing and monitoring the door directly enabled both elopements.
Surveyors identified multiple failures in food labeling, storage, and sanitation, including dirty water spigots above the cooking range, a scoop stored with its handle in direct contact with rice, and unsealed croissants without open or use-by dates in a walk-in cooler. In three nourishment rooms, open food items such as a half-eaten creme pie with used forks, a reusable container of dressing, a pudding cup, a fast-food sandwich, and a milkshake were found without required open and/or use-by dates. The Dietary Manager reported that all nourishment room food must be labeled with both an open date and a 7-day use-by date and noted that new staff and nursing staff were not consistently labeling items as required.
A resident with severe cognitive impairment who used a wheelchair for mobility was observed being quickly pulled backward down a hallway while reclined in a geriatric chair, instead of being pushed forward in a dignified manner. The NA reported he pulled the chair backward because he felt it was harder to push forward, and he was unaware of any equipment problems. A SW later tested the same geriatric chair and found it functioned properly. Facility leadership, including the Staff Development Director, DON, and Administrator, stated that staff are educated on residents’ rights, dignity, and wheelchair use, and confirmed the expectation that residents be pushed forward in wheelchairs and geriatric chairs at a normal, dignified pace.
A resident with severe cognitive impairment and ADL deficits, including dependence on staff for bathing and grooming, was observed multiple times with long, stringy, visibly greasy and dirty hair despite being scheduled for twice-weekly showers. Nursing staff reported providing bed baths instead of full showers and only wetting the resident’s hair, while hospice staff provided intermittent bed baths with no-rinse shampoo and were unsure of the facility’s regular shower routine. The resident had not been to the beauty shop for hair care in over two months due to being mistakenly left off the beauty shop list. Facility leadership expected that the resident’s hair would be properly washed on scheduled shower days but could not identify when the hair was last washed, resulting in a failure to provide appropriate hair washing services.
Staff failed to follow Enhanced Barrier Precautions (EBP) by not wearing gowns during high-contact care activities for two residents on EBP. In one case, a nurse provided catheter care to a resident with an EBP sign and available PPE but wore only gloves, later stating she believed gowns were needed only when changing the catheter. In another case, two NAs used a mechanical lift to transfer a resident with a gastrostomy tube, again with EBP signage and PPE present, but wore only gloves; one NA stated he did not view transferring as high-contact care, and the other reported she did not always use gowns for transfers. These actions conflicted with the facility’s EBP policy and posted instructions requiring both gown and gloves for high-contact activities such as catheter care and transfers.
The facility failed to obtain and document informed consent for psychotropic medications for three residents. One resident with dementia and behavioral symptoms received quetiapine and divalproex, including a dose increase, without documented evidence that the responsible party was informed of risks and benefits or consented. Another resident with anxiety and depression, severe cognitive impairment, and disruptive behaviors was started on duloxetine and given multiple doses of PRN lorazepam, again without documentation that the responsible party was informed or consent obtained. A third cognitively intact resident with depression and anxiety received escitalopram 20 mg daily with no record that she was informed of the medication’s risks and benefits or that she consented. The Nurse Team Lead, identified as responsible for obtaining psychotropic consents, and the DON both confirmed that the expected notifications and consent documentation were not present in the medical records.
A resident with intact cognition was discharged to the community without a complete discharge summary that recapitulated the course of treatment. The electronic Transfer/Discharge Report contained basic demographic and clinical data but left key sections blank, including advanced directives, diet type/texture/fluid consistency, and resident-specific information on behaviors, ambulation, bladder/bowel status, feeding, and usual level of functioning, and lacked a signed acknowledgment that a copy was provided to the resident or representative. The SW reported she arranged post-discharge services, provided a medication list and satisfaction survey, and documented discharge arrangements, but was unaware that a comprehensive discharge summary with a recapitulation of the stay was required, and the Administrator confirmed the form used did not include this required summary with interdisciplinary input.
A resident admitted with bipolar disorder and receiving routine antipsychotic and antidepressant medications had only a prior Level I PASRR on file, with no Level II PASRR request submitted despite ongoing documentation of an active psychiatric diagnosis and psychotropic treatment in MDS assessments, NP notes, and the care plan. The SW confirmed she verified the existence of a PASRR before admission but did not request a Level II evaluation, believing it was only necessary if the resident exhibited behaviors, and the administrator acknowledged that no Level II PASRR request was made for this resident with a mental health diagnosis.
A resident with severe cognitive impairment and multiple comorbidities, including Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, severe protein-calorie malnutrition, chronic kidney disease, and hypertension, was not seen face-to-face by a physician within 30 days of admission as required. The resident was evaluated by a PA and later by an NP, but the Nurse Team Lead relied on a tracking report that combined all provider visits (NP, PA, and physician) without distinguishing physician-required visits. As a result, the resident did not appear on the physician-visit list when the physician was on-site and was inadvertently overlooked, a fact confirmed by both the Nurse Team Lead and the Administrator.
A resident with dementia, osteoporosis, and prior femur fracture experienced an unwitnessed fall and subsequently developed severe hip pain and decreased ability to ambulate and transfer. Nursing staff failed to document the fall on the day it occurred, did not complete comprehensive lower‑extremity or mobility assessments, and repeatedly charted pain scores of 0 despite the resident’s complaints and nurse aide reports of significant pain with movement and increased assistance needs. An NP evaluated the resident for hip pain but was not informed of the fall, did not assess the hips or legs, and treated the pain as baseline neuropathic discomfort. Over several days, PRN acetaminophen was given intermittently without consistent pain scoring, multiple shifts lacked progress notes or assessments, and aides assumed nurses were aware of the resident’s worsening pain and functional decline. Bilateral hip x‑rays were eventually ordered after internal communication about hip pain, and the report later showed an acute displaced femoral neck fracture, after which the resident was sent to the hospital and underwent a left hip hemiarthroplasty.
Unsecured Emergency Exit Allows Repeated Elopement of High-Risk Resident
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to keep an emergency exit door secured and alarmed, which allowed a cognitively impaired, exit-seeking resident at high fall risk to leave the building unsupervised on two consecutive nights. The resident had dementia with psychotic disturbance, severe cognitive impairment, a history of wandering and exit-seeking, orthostatic hypotension, gait abnormalities, and muscle weakness. Care plans and assessments identified wandering, exit seeking, fall risk, and insomnia, and interventions included a wander guard bracelet, frequent safety checks, environmental monitoring, and redirection from exits. Despite this, the resident routinely wandered at night, roamed the halls, entered other residents’ rooms, and was known by staff to push on the emergency exit door in attempts to leave. On the first night, in the early morning hours while it was still dark, the nurse noticed the resident was no longer in the hallway or in his room. The assigned NA, positioned near the west hall emergency exit, reported hearing a door slam but assumed it was a nearby resident’s room door because the emergency door alarm had not sounded. When the nurse checked the emergency exit, he found it unlocked and non-alarming, exited through it, and after walking several minutes from the back of the building to the front, located the resident standing at the main entrance. The resident’s wander bracelet triggered the main entrance door alarm when they re-entered, confirming the bracelet was in place. The nurse believed the emergency door locked and re-armed automatically and did not verify the lock or alarm status of the door after the incident or before the end of his shift, and no additional monitoring or new interventions were implemented at that time. On the second night, the same nurse observed the resident in bed at approximately 1:30 AM, but by about 2:00 AM the resident was again missing from his room. The nurse immediately went to the same west hall emergency exit and saw the resident outside through the door’s glass, walking away from the building. The door was again unlocked and did not alarm when opened. The nurse brought the resident back inside through that door and assessed him with no injuries noted. Staff interviews and maintenance inspection confirmed that the emergency exit door’s magnetic lock was controlled by a wall switch and the red alarm box on the door could only be turned on or off with a key; the system did not malfunction and could not be defeated by holding the push bar. This meant the door’s lock and alarm had been manually disabled by staff on at least one prior shift, and staff on subsequent shifts, including nurses and NAs who were aware of the resident’s exit-seeking behavior and the first elopement, did not verify that the door was secured and alarmed, allowing the resident to exit a second time without staff knowledge.
Removal Plan
- Identify recipients who have suffered, or are likely to suffer, a serious adverse outcome as a result of the noncompliance
- Ensure Resident #89 has a wander bracelet in place
- Pursue or redirect Resident #89 back into the facility if he exits
- Assess Resident #89 for acute distress or injury after an elopement event
- Administer scheduled bedtime medications for insomnia (melatonin 3 mg and trazodone 50 mg) as ordered
- Initiate an order for checks of Resident #89’s whereabouts
- Document completion of checks on the Medication Administration Record
Improper Food Labeling, Storage, and Sanitation in Kitchen and Nourishment Rooms
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to properly label, date, and store food items and to maintain cleanliness in food preparation and nourishment areas. During an initial kitchen tour with the Dietary Manager, surveyors observed visible dirt and grime buildup on three water spigots above the cooking range and found a plastic scoop left in a rice bin with the handle and bottom in direct contact with the rice. In walk-in cooler #2, a cardboard flat of croissants had been cut open, with seven croissants already used, and the remaining croissants were not resealed or labeled with an open or use-by date. The Dietary Manager acknowledged that the open croissants had been missed by kitchen staff and that the rice scoop should have been stored in its designated holder on the bin. In three nourishment rooms, surveyors found multiple food items that were open but not properly labeled with open and/or use-by dates. In one nourishment room refrigerator, there was a half-eaten creme pie with three used plastic forks left in the pan and a small reusable container of ranch dressing, both open and unlabeled. In another nourishment room refrigerator, a vanilla pudding cup and a wrapped fast-food sandwich were open and labeled only with open dates, but no use-by dates. In a third nourishment room refrigerator, a fast-food milkshake was open with no open or use-by date. The Dietary Manager stated that all nourishment room food items were required to be labeled with both an open date and a use-by date set seven days after opening, and reported that some new staff were not labeling items correctly and that nursing staff often left items in nourishment refrigerators without appropriate labeling.
Resident Dignity Compromised During Transport in Geriatric Chair
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves a failure to maintain a resident’s dignity and right to a dignified existence and self-determination when a nurse aide transported the resident in a manner inconsistent with facility expectations. The resident, who had clear speech but severe cognitive impairment and required a wheelchair for mobility, was observed during a continuous observation being quickly pulled backward approximately 30 feet down the South Hall from the day room to her room while reclined in a geriatric chair. A reasonable person would have expected to be treated with dignity and to be wheeled forward in the chair. During interviews, the nurse aide stated he chose to pull the resident backward because he felt it was harder to push the reclined geriatric chair forward and reported no awareness of problems with the chair. The social worker later pushed the same geriatric chair forward and backward in the hallway and noted no functional concerns, stating the chair worked fine and needed no repairs. The Staff Development Director reported that staff receive education on residents’ rights, dignity, and wheelchair use, including speed and footrest use, and acknowledged the resident should not have been pulled backward in the geriatric chair. The DON and Administrator both stated they expected staff to push residents in wheelchairs and geriatric chairs forward, at a normal pace, and in a dignified manner.
Failure to Provide Adequate Hair Washing for Dependent Resident
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide adequate hair washing services for a dependent resident with ADL deficits. The resident was admitted with senile degeneration of the brain, COPD, and heart failure, and had a care plan identifying ADL deficits due to generalized weakness, with interventions including setup for hair and oral hygiene daily and assistance with bathing and dressing. An annual MDS showed the resident was severely cognitively impaired and required extensive staff assistance for ADLs, with no behaviors or rejection of care documented. The shower schedule indicated the resident was to receive showers twice weekly on specific mornings. However, multiple observations over several days showed the resident in bed with long, stringy, visibly greasy and dirty hair that was stuck flat against her head, including on a scheduled shower day. Record review showed documentation that the resident received a shower on one of the observed days, but the NA assigned that day reported she actually provided a bed bath rather than a full shower and typically only wet the resident’s hair, noting it was becoming tangled, especially in the back. The NA stated a hospice bathing team visited a couple of times a week and used a no-rinse shampoo, but she was unsure of their specific care for this resident. The hospice nurse confirmed providing bed baths with no-rinse shampoo a couple of times a week and was unsure of the facility’s regular shower routine for the resident. The beauty shop operator and unit secretary both indicated it had been longer than two months since the resident’s last beauty shop visit, and the unit secretary acknowledged the resident’s name had been left off the beauty shop list by mistake. The DON stated NAs were expected to bathe the resident twice weekly and was unaware of when the resident’s hair was last washed, while the administrator stated his expectation that the resident’s hair would be properly washed on scheduled shower days.
Failure to Use Required Gowns Under Enhanced Barrier Precautions During High-Contact Care
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to follow its own Enhanced Barrier Precautions (EBP) policy requiring the use of gowns and gloves during high-contact resident care activities for residents on EBP. The written policy, revised on 7/26/2022, defined EBP as an infection control intervention to reduce transmission of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) by using gowns and gloves during high-contact activities such as dressing, bathing, transferring, providing hygiene, changing linens or briefs, assisting with toileting, and device care or use, including urinary catheters and feeding tubes. Facility signage for EBP instructed staff to don a gown and gloves for high-contact resident care activities, and personal protective equipment (PPE), including gowns, was made available in holders at resident room doors. During an observation of catheter care for Resident #132, who was on EBP and had an EBP sign and PPE bin with gowns posted outside the room, Nurse #5 entered the room without wearing a gown. She washed her hands, donned gloves, removed the resident’s brief, and provided catheter care, then discarded supplies and gloves and washed her hands. In a subsequent interview, Nurse #5 acknowledged awareness that the resident was on EBP but stated she believed a gown was only required when changing the catheter, not when providing catheter care, and indicated she must have misunderstood the EBP instructions despite having received infection control training. In a separate observation, Resident #161’s room also had an EBP sign and PPE holder on the door, and the resident had a gastrostomy tube with tube feeding formula hanging at the bedside. When the resident returned from an outside appointment in a wheelchair, two nurse aides entered the room with a mechanical lift to transfer the resident to bed. Both aides wore gloves but did not wear gowns while completing the mechanical lift transfer. One aide stated he knew the resident was on EBP due to the gastrostomy tube but believed a gown was only required when performing “some type of care” and did not consider transferring to be a high-contact activity, even when shown the sign indicating gowns and gloves were required for transfers. The other aide, who usually worked on a different unit, stated she followed EBP signage but sometimes used a gown for transfers and not all the time, and both aides had previously received EBP and PPE training. The Infection Preventionist, DON, and Administrator each stated that staff should have worn gowns in these situations according to the posted EBP signage and facility expectations.
Failure to Obtain and Document Informed Consent for Psychotropic Medications
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to obtain and document informed consent for psychotropic medications prior to initiation or dose changes for multiple residents. For one resident with unspecified dementia, anxiety disorder, depression, and delusional disorder, the physician ordered quetiapine for anxiety and agitation and later ordered divalproex for dementia with aggression and agitation, with a subsequent dose increase. The resident’s MDS showed moderate cognitive impairment, use of antipsychotic, antidepressant, and anticonvulsant medications, and behavioral symptoms including rejection of care. Record review showed these medications were administered as ordered, but there was no documentation that the responsible party was informed in advance of the risks and benefits of starting or increasing these psychotropic medications or that consent was obtained. Another resident with anxiety disorder and depression was started on duloxetine for depression and later had PRN lorazepam ordered for daytime and bedtime anxiety with agitation. The MDS indicated severe cognitive impairment, behavioral symptoms that interfered with social interactions and disrupted care, and use of anti-anxiety and antidepressant medications. The MAR confirmed that duloxetine was given as ordered and lorazepam was administered on multiple days. However, the electronic medical record contained no documentation that the responsible party was informed in advance of the risks and benefits of initiating duloxetine or lorazepam or that consent was obtained. The Nurse Team Lead, who was responsible for obtaining psychotropic consents, could not locate any consent forms for this resident and could not recall whether the responsible party had been called. A third resident with major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, and intact cognition per the MDS, had an active order for escitalopram 20 mg daily for depression and anxiety. The MDS showed no behavioral symptoms and receipt of antidepressant medication. Review of the medical record revealed no documentation that this resident was informed in advance of the risks and benefits of initiating escitalopram and consented to the treatment. In interviews, the Nurse Team Lead consistently stated she was responsible for obtaining psychotropic consents when new orders were received from providers, but she was unable to find consent forms for the involved residents or explain what had occurred. The DON described a process in which providers communicated new or changed psychotropic orders to the Nurse Team Lead, who was expected to notify residents or responsible parties and document the notification, but acknowledged that for these residents the required documentation and consent forms were missing.
Failure to Complete Required Discharge Summary With Recapitulation of Stay
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to complete a required discharge summary that included a recapitulation of the resident's stay for one resident who was discharged to the community. The resident was admitted to the facility and had a 5-Day MDS showing intact cognition and active discharge planning. A subsequent discharge-return not anticipated MDS documented that the resident was discharged to the community. Review of the electronic medical record showed an undated Transfer/Discharge Report containing demographic and clinical information such as date of birth, admission date, age, insurance, allergies, primary contact and physician information, diagnoses, most recent vital signs, and immunization history, with a notation to refer to the MAR for current medications. However, several sections of this report were left blank, including advanced directives, diet type/texture/fluid consistency, and resident-specific information on behaviors, ambulation, bladder/bowel status, feeding, and usual level of functioning. There was also no signature or date indicating the resident or representative received a copy of the Transfer/Discharge Report. In interviews, the SW reported she was responsible for long-term resident discharges while a Discharge Planner/Case Manager handled short-term discharges. The SW described her discharge process as arranging post-discharge needs such as follow-up appointments, home health, or equipment, providing a satisfaction survey and a list of medications with administration times, and documenting a progress note outlining discharge arrangements. She stated that when follow-up appointments were arranged, records including provider notes, therapy notes, and medication lists were faxed to the receiving provider. The SW also indicated she was not aware that a discharge summary including a recapitulation of the resident's course of treatment in the facility was required. The Administrator acknowledged that the Transfer/Discharge Report in use contained some required components but did not summarize the resident's course of treatment and that a discharge summary with input from all disciplines should have been completed per regulatory guidelines.
Failure to Request Level II PASRR for Resident With Bipolar Disorder
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to submit a request for a Level II PASRR evaluation for a resident with a serious mental health diagnosis. The resident was admitted with a diagnosis that included bipolar disorder and had only a Level I PASRR documented from an evaluation completed in 2022. The admission MDS indicated the resident was not considered by the state Level II PASRR process to have serious mental illness or intellectual disability, despite documenting an active bipolar disorder diagnosis and routine antipsychotic use. Subsequent psychiatric NP progress notes in 2024 and 2026 confirmed an active bipolar disorder diagnosis and ongoing treatment with aripiprazole and bupropion. The annual MDS again indicated the resident was not considered by the Level II PASRR process to have serious mental illness or intellectual disability, while also documenting routine antipsychotic and antidepressant use and a care plan addressing psychotropic medications related to bipolar disorder. The social worker, who had been in the role for five years and was responsible for ensuring newly admitted residents had a PASRR prior to admission, verified that she checked the state PASRR system before admission and confirmed the presence of a PASRR, but did not request a Level II evaluation at or after admission. She stated she was aware of the resident’s bipolar diagnosis and psychiatric referral but believed a Level II PASRR was only needed if the resident demonstrated behaviors, and she was not aware that a Level II evaluation was required when a resident was admitted with a mental health diagnosis and had only a Level I PASRR. The administrator also confirmed that no Level II PASRR request was made when the resident was admitted with a mental health diagnosis.
Failure to Ensure Timely Physician Visit After Admission
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that a resident was seen face-to-face by a physician within 30 days of admission, as required. The resident was admitted with multiple significant diagnoses, including Alzheimer's disease, dementia with agitation, diabetes, severe protein-calorie malnutrition, chronic kidney disease, and hypertension, and had severe cognitive impairment per a quarterly MDS assessment. Review of the electronic medical record showed no evidence that the resident had been seen by a physician within the required timeframe. Instead of a physician visit, the resident was seen by a PA and later by an NP shortly after admission. The Nurse Team Lead, who was responsible for tracking when physician regulatory visits were due, used a report from the computer system that listed the last date residents were seen by any provider (NP, PA, or physician). She manually marked which provider conducted the visit and used this list to inform providers which residents needed to be seen. Because the system did not distinguish physician visits from NP/PA visits on the tracking report, the resident did not appear on the physician-visit list when the physician was in the facility, and therefore was not scheduled for a physician visit. Both the Nurse Team Lead and the Administrator confirmed that the resident had not been seen by the physician and that this was an oversight.
Failure to Assess and Respond to Post‑Fall Hip Pain and Mobility Decline
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to comprehensively assess, recognize, and respond to a resident’s severe hip pain and functional decline following a reported unwitnessed fall. The resident had dementia, osteoporosis, and a history of femur fracture, and was previously able to transfer and ambulate with limited assistance. On the date of the unwitnessed fall, there was no nursing progress note, no documentation of a fall, no pain complaint, and no assessment of the lower extremities or of transfers, ambulation, or mobility. Nursing documentation on that date reflected a pain score of 0, and the nurse assigned to the resident did not recall any fall, pain, or assessment. The quarterly MDS showed severe cognitive impairment and a prior fall, but no pain assessment. On the following night, a nurse documented that the resident was having “a lot of pain” in her hip and placed a note in the doctor’s book, but did not call the on‑call provider, did not document administration of any pain medication, and did not record a pain score with the complaint. The nurse aide on that shift did not recall changes, but the nurse later reported that the aide had told her the resident was unable to ambulate, which was a change from baseline. The next day, another nurse documented in a late entry that the resident reported she had fallen the previous day, pulled herself up, and had not told anyone, and that the resident screamed in pain when moved. This nurse contacted the NP, who, according to the note, stated the resident complained of pain all the time; the nurse informed him that this pain was not typical. The progress note did not include a pain level, a lower extremity assessment, or documentation that the unwitnessed fall was communicated to the NP. The NP’s own note documented nonspecific hip pain, a sleepy and groggy presentation, and neuropathic/hip pain, but did not include an assessment of the legs or hips. The NP later stated he was unaware of the fall, did not assess the hips or legs, and did not inquire about changes in condition such as pain with movement or ambulation. Over the next several days, multiple nurses documented pain scores of 0 on the MAR despite intermittent administration of PRN acetaminophen and reports from nurse aides that the resident had significant pain with transfers, ambulation, and repositioning. Nurse aides reported that the resident, who had previously been able to get up and ambulate, now required increased assistance, had difficulty transferring and ambulating, and grimaced and winced in pain during movement. One aide kept the resident in bed and provided all care in bed due to pain with movement, while another aide did not report the pain to the nurse, assuming the nurse was already aware. There were no nursing progress notes on some days documenting any assessment of the lower extremities or of the resident’s ability to transfer, ambulate, or move, and some assigned nurses did not enter any assessment notes at all. A nursing supervisor received a Stop and Watch communication about hip pain, obtained an order for bilateral hip x‑rays, but did not complete a comprehensive assessment and did not document a pain level or lower extremity assessment. The x‑ray order was entered, and bilateral hip x‑rays were completed, but pain scores of 0 continued to be documented on the MAR by nursing staff, and the unit manager assigned for part of one day did not assess the resident. A nurse aide who assisted with the x‑ray reported that repositioning the resident in bed was difficult due to pain and observed grimacing and wincing. The x‑ray report later showed an acute left femoral neck fracture with displacement. The nurse who came on duty the next day found the x‑ray report on the fax machine, noted the fracture, and contacted the provider, after which the resident was sent to the emergency department. The hospital history and physical documented that the resident endorsed hip pain on arrival and was treated with analgesics and later underwent a left hip hemiarthroplasty. The NP and Medical Director both acknowledged that there was potential for complications when a fracture remained undiagnosed for several days while the resident continued to be moved, transferred, and assisted with ambulation. The DON confirmed that the facility’s investigation determined that a nurse had been informed of an unwitnessed fall and failed to report the incident, resulting in a delay in treatment, and emphasized the importance of thorough assessment and documentation.
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