Kingsville Nursing And Rehabilitation Center
Inspection history, citations, penalties and survey trends for this long-term care facility in Kingsville, Texas.
- Location
- 3130 S Brahma Blvd, Kingsville, Texas 78363
- CMS Provider Number
- 675815
- Inspections on file
- 30
- Latest survey
- March 25, 2026
- Citations (last 12 mo.)
- 10
Citation history
Health deficiencies cited at Kingsville Nursing And Rehabilitation Center during CMS and state inspections, most recent first.
The facility failed to maintain effective infection control practices and properly implement Enhanced Barrier Precautions (EBP). During incontinent care for a dependent resident with diabetes and prior stroke, CNAs did not perform hand hygiene or change gloves when moving from dirty to clean areas, handled clean supplies with soiled gloves, manipulated a trash bag on the bed with contaminated gloves, and then handled the same trash bag with bare, clean hands, contrary to facility hand hygiene and perineal care policies. For two other residents with wounds and surgical incisions under EBP orders, PPE such as gowns and gloves was not placed immediately outside or near their rooms, despite care plans and policy requiring EBP signage and readily accessible PPE for high-contact care activities. A CNA reported that PPE was usually kept outside rooms but was unsure where it was for one resident, and the DON stated that PPE did not need to be outside EBP rooms as long as it was available on the hall and that only gowns and gloves were used for EBP, even when splash risk might be present.
A resident with a history of cerebral infarction and Type 2 DM had an active diabetes diagnosis on the MDS, but no corresponding care plan addressing glucose control, diet, or routine diabetic labs and tests. The same resident had an ADL self-care deficit care plan that included floor mats, yet surveyors observed no floor mats in the room while the resident was in bed, and staff acknowledged the intervention was not being used and the care plan had not been updated. These issues occurred despite facility policy requiring comprehensive care plans to describe needed services and be reviewed and revised after each comprehensive and quarterly MDS.
A hospice resident with severe cognitive impairment allegedly told his responsible party that another cognitively intact resident had entered his room and put a finger in his rectum. The responsible party reported this to staff, the resident was moved to another hall, and a hospice RN performed a rectal assessment, but facility documentation only reflected a room change due to noise and did not record the allegation or the reason for the hospice visit. Hospice staff reported that they informed the administrator that an abuse allegation had been made, while several CNAs stated they were told the move was due to another resident touching the victim, yet the DON and ADON on call were not notified of an abuse allegation that day. The administrator later stated she did not view the information from the responsible party as an actual allegation and did not report it to the state agency or initiate a documented investigation until two days later, contrary to the facility’s abuse policy requiring immediate investigation and reporting within two hours for alleged abuse.
A resident with essential HTN and moderate cognitive impairment had an order for carvedilol with instructions to hold the dose if BP was below a specified parameter. Review of the MAR and interviews showed that an LVN administered carvedilol on two occasions when the resident’s documented BP readings were below the ordered threshold. The LVN acknowledged awareness that BP meds should not be given outside ordered parameters without specific provider instructions, and the DON confirmed the doses should have been held. This practice was inconsistent with the facility’s medication administration policy requiring meds to be held when vital signs fall outside prescribed parameters.
A resident with severe cognitive impairment and a history of falls was found to have only one floor mat beside her bed, despite care plan and physician orders requiring two mats for fall prevention. Staff interviews confirmed the responsibility to ensure mats were in place, but the second mat was missing, and the reason was unknown. The facility's policy required individualized fall prevention interventions, which were not followed in this case.
A resident with multiple diagnoses, including hypertension and dementia, received Hydrochlorothiazide outside of prescribed blood pressure parameters, and staff failed to consistently document or clarify blood pressure readings before administration. Nursing staff were unclear about the parameters and did not always follow facility policy, resulting in significant medication errors.
The facility failed to employ a certified dietary manager, placing residents at risk of foodborne illness and inadequate nutrition. The Dietary Manager had not completed the required certification course, and the facility lacked a policy on maintaining licenses or certifications.
The facility failed to adhere to professional standards for food service safety, including the Dietary Manager not wearing a beard hair restraint, unlabeled and undated food items, an uncovered electrical outlet, and dirty ceiling vents in the kitchen. These deficiencies were confirmed through interviews and record reviews, highlighting risks to resident safety and foodborne illness.
The facility failed to maintain an infection prevention and control program, leading to improper care practices for a resident. Two CNAs did not wash or sanitize their hands or change gloves after touching items near the resident before starting incontinent care. One CNA also did not clean between her fingers with hand sanitizer. The resident had multiple diagnoses and required total care. Despite receiving training and passing skills checks, the CNAs did not follow infection control protocols.
The facility failed to transmit encoded, accurate, and complete MDS data to the CMS System for a resident. The Discharge MDS Assessment, completed months earlier, was not exported due to an oversight by the MDS Coordinator. The Administrator confirmed the lack of a policy on MDS transmission timeliness.
Inadequate Infection Control Practices and EBP Implementation
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to maintain an effective infection prevention and control program, including proper hand hygiene, glove use, and implementation of Enhanced Barrier Precautions (EBP). For one resident, a female with a history of cerebral infarction and type 2 diabetes with hyperglycemia, the care plan identified risk for skin breakdown related to bladder incontinence and dependence in toileting hygiene, with interventions to check for incontinence and clean the perineal area with each episode. During observed incontinent care, two CNAs gathered clean supplies into a clean bag and placed an open trash bag on the resident’s bed for soiled items, then donned gloves after hand hygiene. While removing the resident’s brief, feces were smeared down the resident’s leg. One CNA cleaned the resident’s front and, without performing hand hygiene or changing gloves, accessed the clean supply bag and handed clean supplies to the other CNA, who was cleaning feces from the resident’s backside and between the legs. During the same episode of care, one CNA manipulated the trash bag on the resident’s bed with soiled gloves after dirty gloves had fallen out of the bag onto the bed, placing the soiled gloves back into the bag and pulling the sides of the bag up before returning to incontinent care. After care was completed, one CNA performed hand hygiene in the bathroom while the other CNA fastened a clean brief and pulled up the resident’s clothing without first performing hand hygiene. That CNA then performed hand hygiene and immediately grabbed and tied the trash bag containing soiled items with bare, clean hands and carried it out of the room. In subsequent interviews, both CNAs acknowledged that they should have performed hand hygiene and changed gloves when moving from dirty to clean areas, should not have handled clean supplies with soiled gloves, and should not have handled the trash bag that had been manipulated with dirty gloves using bare, clean hands. The facility’s hand hygiene and perineal care policies required proper hand hygiene and glove changes when soiled, and specified that gloves do not replace hand hygiene. The deficiency also includes failure to ensure appropriate PPE availability and implementation of EBP for two other residents. One male resident with osteomyelitis, local skin and subcutaneous tissue infection, type 2 diabetes, and an active wound infection had physician orders and a care plan for EBP due to diabetic ulcers, requiring gown and gloves for high-contact resident care activities each shift. Another female resident with a displaced trimalleolar fracture and a surgical incision had physician orders and a care plan for EBP due to the surgical incision, with interventions including posting an EBP sign on the door and using gown and gloves for specified high-contact activities, and mask or eye shield as indicated. Observation revealed that these residents’ rooms did not have PPE immediately outside or near the rooms; only one PPE cart was located toward the ends of each hall. A CNA stated that EBP signs were used to indicate when PPE should be worn for certain activities and that PPE was usually located in a bin outside residents’ rooms, but she was unsure where PPE for one resident was and noted PPE was available in the shower room on the hall. In an interview, the DON, who also served as the infection control nurse, stated that hand hygiene should be performed when going from dirty to clean areas but asserted that CNAs could grab the outside of the trash bag with clean, ungloved hands because the outside was considered clean. The DON further stated that EBP was used for residents with wounds or indwelling devices and that EBP rooms did not need PPE outside the rooms as long as it was available on the hall or close by. She indicated that for EBP only gowns and gloves were required for high-contact activities, that face shields and goggles were not used for EBP even for splash back, and that if such eye protection were needed she would place the resident on droplet precautions. She also stated that residents with a known or colonized CDC-targeted MDRO would be placed on contact precautions rather than EBP. CMS and CDC guidance, as well as the facility’s own EBP policy, required that gowns and gloves be made available near or outside the resident’s room and that clear signage and ready access to PPE be ensured when implementing EBP.
Failure to Care Plan Diabetes and Implement Listed Fall Mat Intervention
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified that the facility did not develop and implement a comprehensive care plan addressing all identified needs for a resident with multiple diagnoses. Record review showed the resident was an older female with a history of cerebral infarction and Type 2 diabetes with hyperglycemia, with an active diagnosis of diabetes mellitus documented on a recent quarterly MDS. Despite this, the resident’s care plan contained no problem, goals, or interventions related to diabetes, including no care plan direction for glucose monitoring, diet, or routine diabetic labs and diagnostic tests. The facility’s policy required the comprehensive care plan to describe services to attain or maintain the resident’s highest practicable well-being and to be reviewed and revised after each comprehensive and quarterly MDS assessment, but this was not done for the resident’s diabetes. The facility also failed to implement an existing intervention listed on the resident’s care plan. The resident had an ADL self-care performance deficit care plan initiated in 2022 that included floor mats as an intervention. During observation, surveyors noted there were no floor mats in the resident’s room while the resident was in bed. In interviews, the MDS nurse acknowledged that the fall mats on the care plan were supposed to have been removed because they were not being used, but the care plan had not been updated accordingly. The MDS nurse and the ADON both stated that the resident’s diabetes should have been care planned, including diet and labs, and that the MDS nurse typically updated the clinical aspects of the care plan.
Failure to Timely Report and Investigate Alleged Sexual Abuse
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to implement and follow its written abuse, neglect, and exploitation policies when a hospice resident with severe cognitive impairment allegedly reported sexual abuse by another resident. The resident was an elderly male on hospice care with COPD, type 2 diabetes, unspecified dementia, depression, anxiety, and a history of stroke, and his admission MDS showed a BIMS score of 3, indicating severe cognitive impairment. On the evening in question, his responsible party (RP) was feeding him when another male resident walked by; the hospice resident became fearful and told the RP that the man who had been at the door had gone into his room and put a finger in his rectum. The RP reported this to facility staff, and the resident was moved to another hall and closer to the nurse’s station that same evening, but the contemporaneous nursing documentation only reflected a room move due to the hall being too loud and did not document the allegation or the reason for the hospice nurse’s visit. Multiple interviews and records showed that the allegation of sexual abuse was known to several individuals on the date it was made, but the facility did not report it to the state agency within two hours as required by its policy, nor did it initiate an immediate, documented investigation at that time. The hospice records documented that the hospice nurse was dispatched for a PRN visit specifically because of a reported sexual assault, that an outcry had been made by the patient to his family, and that the hospice nurse assessed the resident’s anus for trauma with a facility LVN present. The hospice nurse’s narrative stated she had been briefed that the resident reported another resident put a finger in his buttocks, and she documented that the facility administrator and hospice would follow up per protocol. Hospice staff, including the hospice director and hospice social worker, reported that they informed the administrator on the evening of the allegation, and that the administrator stated she was aware of the allegation and was starting the investigation process. However, the administrator later stated she did not consider what she was told by the RP to be an actual allegation of abuse and therefore did not report it at that time. Facility staff interviews revealed inconsistent knowledge and communication about the allegation and the reason for the room change. Several CNAs stated they were told by an LVN or charge nurse that the resident was moved because another resident had touched him or that something had happened between the two residents, while the social worker and one ADON reported they were only told the move was due to noise and anxiety and were unaware of an abuse allegation until days later. The DON stated she was informed by the administrator on the night of the room change only that the RP had concerns about the other resident being loud and causing anxiety, and she did not come to the facility that night. The ADON on call reported she was not notified of the allegation on the date it occurred, despite facility expectations that allegations be reported immediately to administration and on-call leadership. The facility’s abuse policy required immediate investigation and reporting of all alleged violations to the administrator and state agency within two hours when abuse was involved, but there was no timely report to the state survey agency and no contemporaneous, complete documentation of an investigation into the sexual abuse allegation until two days later, when the administrator self-reported after being informed again of the allegation by hospice and internal staff.
Antihypertensive Given Outside Ordered Parameters
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to ensure a resident was free from significant medication errors related to administration of an antihypertensive medication outside of ordered parameters. The resident was an older male with essential hypertension and a BIMS score of 8, indicating moderate cognitive impairment. His care plan included an intervention to administer antihypertensive medication as ordered. The physician’s order for carvedilol 6.25 mg twice daily specified it should be held if blood pressure was less than 120/60 and pulse less than 60. Review of the December MAR showed that on two occasions carvedilol was administered by an LVN when the resident’s recorded blood pressures were 115/65 and 112/67, which were outside the ordered blood pressure parameters for giving the medication. During interview, the LVN confirmed she signed the MAR indicating she administered carvedilol on those dates and acknowledged she was not supposed to administer blood pressure medications outside specified parameters unless given specific instructions by a physician or nurse practitioner. She stated that administering blood pressure medications outside parameters could cause fatigue, headache, or fainting. The DON, upon review of the MAR, stated it appeared the LVN administered carvedilol despite the blood pressures being outside the stated parameters and confirmed the medication should not have been given on those days. The facility’s Medication Administration policy required staff to obtain and record vital signs when applicable or per physician orders and to hold medications when vital signs were outside the physician’s prescribed parameters, which was not followed in this case.
Failure to Provide Required Fall Prevention Devices for Resident at Risk
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when the facility failed to ensure that a resident's environment was free from accident hazards and that adequate supervision and assistive devices were provided to prevent accidents. Specifically, a resident with severe cognitive impairment, a history of multiple falls, and a moderate fall risk was observed to have only one floor mat in place beside her bed, despite her care plan and physician's orders requiring two mats as a safety precaution. The resident's care plan and medical orders had been updated following several unwitnessed and witnessed falls, including one with injury, to include the use of two floor mats. Staff interviews confirmed that all staff, including CNAs and nursing staff, were responsible for ensuring the mats were in place, and that the absence of a mat could result in injury. The LVN acknowledged the resident was supposed to have two mats and was unsure why the second mat was missing, noting that the supply clerk was responsible for providing mats. The Administrator and DON also confirmed the requirement for two mats and stated that the main responsibility for ensuring their presence fell on the nurse caring for the resident. Facility policy required individualized fall prevention interventions based on assessed risk, which was not followed in this instance.
Failure to Adhere to Blood Pressure Parameters for Antihypertensive Medication
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when the facility failed to ensure that a resident was free from significant medication errors related to the administration of Hydrochlorothiazide, a medication prescribed for hypertension. The resident, an older adult male with diagnoses including Wernicke's Encephalopathy, dementia with mood disorder, and essential hypertension, had physician orders specifying that Hydrochlorothiazide should be held if blood pressure was less than 100/60. However, there were inconsistencies in the medication orders, with some periods lacking clear blood pressure parameters, and the facility did not clarify these discrepancies with the provider. Medication administration records revealed that Hydrochlorothiazide was given to the resident even when his blood pressure readings were below the prescribed parameters, such as on occasions when his blood pressure was 124/54 and 98/62. Additionally, there were several days when no blood pressure readings were documented prior to administration of the medication, despite the order requiring this assessment. Interviews with nursing staff indicated a lack of awareness or attention to the blood pressure parameters, and some staff could not recall receiving recent in-service training on this topic, though they mentioned annual skills checkoffs. The facility's medication administration policy required obtaining and recording vital signs when applicable, holding medications for vital signs outside prescribed parameters, and documenting these on the medication administration record. Despite these policies, the staff failed to consistently follow the prescribed parameters for Hydrochlorothiazide, leading to the administration of the medication outside of safe blood pressure ranges and without proper documentation.
Failure to Employ Certified Dietary Manager
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to employ a certified dietary manager as required, which could place residents at increased risk of foodborne illness and inadequate nutrition. The Dietary Manager, who was hired on 11/20/2015 and rehired on 12/2/2016, had not completed the certified Dietary Manager course that he started in November 2023. During an interview, the Dietary Director admitted that he hoped to complete the course in the next three months and acknowledged that completing the course would help him better manage the kitchen and understand resident diets. The Administrator and Human Resource Director believed that enrolling the Dietary Director in the certified dietary manager course met the facility's requirements. However, the facility did not have a policy on employees maintaining their licenses or certifications. The job description for the Dietary Food Service Supervisor indicated that the supervisor was responsible for the daily operations of the dietary department according to facility policy and federal/state regulations. An additional section in the job description authorized payment for the certified dietary manager course, but the Dietary Director had not yet completed it.
Deficiencies in Food Safety and Sanitation Practices
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to store, prepare, distribute, and serve food in accordance with professional standards for food service safety. During a kitchen tour, the Dietary Manager was observed not wearing a beard hair restraint, which is essential to prevent hair from contaminating food. Additionally, two bags of sliced strawberries in the freezer and a bag of tostada chips in the kitchen storeroom were not labeled or dated, making it difficult to monitor the freshness and safety of these food items. An electrical outlet in the kitchen was found without an attached cover, posing a safety hazard to employees. Furthermore, a ceiling vent in the dish-room had rust on the attached sprinkler head and dirt on the ceiling surface around the vent, while another ceiling vent in the dish machine room had dirt particles and grease on the vent slats, compromising kitchen sanitation. Interviews with the Dietary Manager, Maintenance Director, and Administrator confirmed the importance of these safety and sanitation measures. The facility's policies on employee sanitation, food storage, and fire containment, as well as the U.S. Public Health Service Food Code, emphasize the need for hair restraints, proper labeling and dating of food items, intact electrical outlets, and clean kitchen equipment and surfaces. The failure to adhere to these standards could place residents at risk for foodborne illness and other safety hazards.
Infection Control Deficiency
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to establish and maintain an infection prevention and control program, leading to improper care practices for a resident. During an observation, two CNAs did not wash or sanitize their hands or change their gloves after touching items in close proximity to the resident before starting incontinent care. Additionally, one of the CNAs did not clean between her fingers with hand sanitizer while providing care. Both CNAs confirmed that the environment around the resident was considered dirty and acknowledged that they should have changed their gloves and sanitized their hands prior to providing care. The Director of Nursing (DON) also confirmed that the staff should have followed proper infection control protocols. The resident involved had multiple diagnoses, including Alzheimer's disease, dementia, hyperlipidemia, Parkinsonism, major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and delusional disorder. The resident required total care and was frequently incontinent of bowel and bladder. Despite having received infection control training within the year and passing annual skills checks, the CNAs did not adhere to the facility's infection prevention and control policies. The DON and Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON) were responsible for the training and checking of the staff's skills, and the facility's policies emphasized the importance of assuming all residents could be potentially infected or colonized with an organism that could be transmitted during care.
Failure to Transmit MDS Data Timely
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to transmit encoded, accurate, and complete MDS data to the CMS System for one resident. Specifically, the Discharge MDS Assessment for Resident #42, completed on 12/29/2023, was not exported as of 05/23/2024. During an interview, the MDS Coordinator confirmed the oversight and acknowledged responsibility for the failure. The Administrator also confirmed that the facility had no policy regarding the timeliness of MDS transmission.
Latest citations in Texas
A resident with severe dementia, mobility deficits, and dependence for transfers was provided bed rails without a documented entrapment risk assessment, physician order, or inclusion of bed rail use in the care plan, despite a facility policy requiring alternatives, IDT review, informed consent, and proper installation. Maintenance installed 1/3 bed rails on verbal request from nursing, believing the clinical steps had been completed, and the resident later was found partially out of bed with her head pinned between the rail and a low air loss mattress, unresponsive, and subsequently pronounced deceased. The medical examiner noted neck abrasions, bruising, and muscle hemorrhage consistent with entrapment between the mattress and bed rail and indicated the likely cause of death as strangulation on the rails or asphyxiation on the mattress, and the deficiency was cited as past Immediate Jeopardy.
A resident with severe cognitive impairment and multiple pressure injuries received twice-daily wound care without a corresponding pain care plan or documented pain assessments, despite having a PRN acetaminophen order. During an observed wound care attempt, the resident winced, cried out, and showed facial expressions consistent with pain when repositioned, while staff were unsure of her primary language, whether she had been assessed or medicated for pain, or even what pain medications were ordered. CNAs and the treatment nurse noted foul odor and colored drainage from the wounds and that the resident felt warm, but the LVN initially reported no indication of pain or need for vital signs and only checked a temperature after surveyor prompting, without performing a clear pain assessment. The wound care NP later reported the resident had increased necrotic tissue, odor, and frequent combative behavior during prior treatments that had not been considered as possible pain responses, and the resident’s representative stated they were unaware of wound odor, infection concerns, or antibiotic orders and believed the resident was receiving pain medication while video showed wound care being attempted without it.
Surveyors found three mechanical lifts repeatedly parked unlocked and unsecured in a hallway adjacent to the 300 Hall, where they were stored and charged when not in use. An RN and a CNA assigned to the hall both stated they were unaware the lifts were unsecured, despite prior in‑service training on lift safety and storage, and each could not recall when that training last occurred. The DON confirmed that all lifts were expected to be locked when not in use, acknowledged unawareness of the unsecured lifts over several days, and stated that while staff had been educated on lift safety, there was no facility policy addressing accidents and hazards related to mechanical lift safety and storage, and the existing mechanical lift policy lacked such content.
Surveyors found multiple food safety and storage deficiencies in the kitchen, including an unsealed bag of meat, sauce containers with dried drippings on the handle and rim, a container of overripe bananas with black peels, and uncovered whole eggs in an unlabeled, undated bowl. Temperature logs for reach-in refrigerators and a freezer were missing required PM shift temperature checks and staff signatures. In interviews, dietary staff, the Dietary Manager, and the Administrator confirmed that these conditions did not follow facility policies requiring open food to be securely covered, labeled, dated, properly cleaned, and monitored with completed temperature logs.
A resident with lymphedema and multiple comorbidities had physician orders for bilateral lower extremity ace wraps each morning with removal in the evening, along with edema checks every shift. On the survey day, the resident was observed in a wheelchair without leg wraps, while the MAR showed the morning treatment as completed. The resident reported his legs were supposed to be wrapped daily and that they had not been wrapped for about a week, and he described inconsistent staff response to his call light. The charge nurse admitted it was not normal practice to document treatment before completion and stated the resident usually received wraps after a shower, which had not yet occurred. CNAs gave conflicting accounts about how consistently the wraps were applied, and leadership confirmed expectations that treatments be performed per orders and documented only after completion, in line with the facility’s documentation policy prohibiting false entries.
Surveyors found that the facility failed to provide pressure ulcer care consistent with professional standards for three residents. One resident with hemiplegia and vascular dementia had a sacral wound that was omitted from the care plan and repeatedly left off weekly skin assessments, while heel wounds were documented without consistent measurements or staging and ordered treatments were not always recorded as given. A second resident with multiple comorbidities developed a sacral wound that progressed from MASD to an unstageable and then Stage 4 pressure injury with surgical debridement, yet the care plan was not updated to reflect the active pressure ulcer and specific interventions, and weekly skin assessments often lacked complete staging and measurements. A third resident with dementia and incontinence had an unstageable sacral ulcer and MASD, but weekly skin assessments were inconsistent, some ordered wound treatments and topical medications were not documented on the TAR, and nursing notes did not show that care was provided on those dates. Staff interviews revealed that the treatment nurse handled nearly all weekly skin assessments and wound care documentation, relied on the DON or wound physician for staging and measurements, and that facility policies requiring complete wound assessment and documentation were not consistently followed.
The facility failed to ensure call lights were accessible for four residents who were identified as fall risks and required assistance with ADLs or had significant mobility or cognitive impairments. Observations found residents lying in bed with call lights placed at the head of the bed, on the floor, on a roommate’s bed, or on a nightstand, all out of reach, despite care plan interventions requiring call lights to be kept within reach. A CNA, an LVN, and the DON each confirmed that all staff are responsible for keeping call bells within residents’ reach and acknowledged that inaccessible call bells could lead to accidents, falls, avoidable injuries, delayed care, and unmet needs, contrary to the facility’s written call light policy.
Surveyors found that multiple resident rooms and two halls were not maintained in a clean and sanitary condition. Bathrooms in several rooms had brown or gray stains in corners and around toilets, and some showers and room floors had dark or built-up dirt along edges, near closets, and by beds and walls. Air conditioning vents and filters in several rooms were observed with black grime or thick dust. Handrails on two halls had debris, including tissue with a red-brown substance, candy wrappers, gum, plastic, and paper wedged between the rails. Sharps containers in several rooms had used gloves and trash placed on top. The Administrator and housekeeping staff confirmed that housekeeping was responsible for cleaning rooms, bathrooms, floors, handrails, and air conditioning units, and staff acknowledged that the observed conditions were a health hazard and could cause infection.
The facility failed to follow its own infection control practices and physician orders for three residents requiring respiratory care. A resident with COPD had a nasal cannula and nebulizer mask connected to equipment that were not bagged or dated when not in use, despite orders for weekly changes. Another resident with asthma had an unbagged, undated nasal cannula and an oxygen humidifier bottle that was partially full, cracked, and dated from a prior week. A third resident with COPD had both nasal cannula and nebulizer mask unbagged and undated, despite orders for weekly equipment changes and monitoring of pulse, O2 sat, treatment time, and lung sounds. Staff, including a CNA, an LVN, and the DON, acknowledged that equipment should always be bagged, dated, and changed per schedule to prevent infection, consistent with the facility’s infection prevention and control policy.
Surveyors found that staff failed to administer multiple residents’ scheduled medications within the facility’s one-hour administration window, despite active orders for numerous drugs treating conditions such as DM, HTN, CHF, dementia, seizures, and hypothyroidism. During a morning med pass, a med tech had not completed 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. medications by late morning, and staff interviews confirmed that medications were required to be given within a defined time range. In addition, staff did not consistently check BP before dispensing medications with BP parameters, did not keep a milk-based Med Pass nutritional supplement refrigerated or on ice as required by manufacturer directions and facility protocol, and failed to date most insulin vials when opened, contrary to facility policy. These actions and inactions showed that pharmaceutical services, including accurate dispensing, administration, and storage of medications and biologicals, were not provided as required for the residents reviewed.
Failure to Assess, Order, and Care Plan Bed Rail Use Resulting in Fatal Entrapment
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to follow its own policy and regulatory requirements for the assessment, ordering, care planning, and safe use of bed rails for a cognitively impaired resident. The resident was an elderly female with severe dementia, repeated falls, a fractured neck of the left femur, cognitive communication deficit, and a need for assistance with personal care. Her admission MDS showed a BIMS score of 03, indicating severe cognitive impairment, and documented that she required substantial staff assistance with bed mobility and was completely dependent on staff for transfers from bed to chair. Despite these needs, her care plan addressed ADL self-care performance deficits related to dementia and included interventions for bed mobility requiring one staff member to assist with repositioning, but it did not mention bed rails or any risk of entrapment. The facility obtained a bed rail consent form signed by the resident’s family member, which listed multiple potential dangers of bed rail use, including suffocation and various forms of entrapment that could cause injury or death. However, from the time of admission through the date of the incident, there was no documented bed rail safety or entrapment risk assessment for this resident, no physician order for bed rails, and no inclusion of bed rail use in the resident’s care plan. Maintenance staff reported that a charge nurse verbally requested installation of bed rails on the resident’s bed, and he believed the usual clinical steps—assessment, IDT review, consent, and physician order—had already been completed, but he had no documentation of when the rails were installed. The DON later confirmed that, for this resident, the required risk of entrapment assessment, physician order, and care plan focus for bed rails were not completed, and alternatives to bed rails were not attempted prior to installation, contrary to facility policy. On the night of the incident, a CNA observed the resident resting calmly around 2:00 a.m. During a subsequent round close to 5:00 a.m., the CNA found the resident partially out of bed with her head pinned between the assist bar/bed rail and the mattress, and notified the LVN. The LVN’s written statement described finding the resident seated on the floor on the right side of the bed, off the mattress, with her head resting between the side rail and the mattress, unresponsive. CPR was initiated and EMS was called, but the resident was later pronounced deceased. The county medical examiner reported that the resident had bruising and abrasions around the neck and jawline and hemorrhaging in the neck muscles, injuries consistent with being trapped between the mattress and bed rails, and indicated that the likely cause of death would be strangulation on the bed rails or asphyxiation on the mattress. Subsequent observation of the bed showed 1/3 bed rails of the same make and model as the bed frame and a low air loss mattress; while the rails were not loose and there was little space when the mattress was fully inflated, the air mattress could be compressed enough to create significant space between the mattress and rails. The facility’s failure to conduct a bed rail entrapment risk assessment, obtain a physician order, and incorporate bed rail use into the care plan prior to installation led to the resident’s entrapment and death, and constituted noncompliance identified as past Immediate Jeopardy. The facility’s written bed rail policy required that appropriate alternatives be attempted before installing bed rails, that the IDT assess each resident for entrapment risk, that risks and benefits be reviewed with the resident or representative, that informed consent be obtained prior to installation, and that manufacturer instructions and compatibility of bed, mattress, and rails be verified. It also required updating the care plan to reflect the need or choice for bed rails. In this case, staff interviews and record review showed that these steps were not followed for the resident involved. The DON acknowledged that the process did not occur as required, that the IDT did not meet to assess the resident for entrapment risk, and that the bed rails were installed based on the responsible party’s request without the mandated clinical review and documentation. This sequence of omissions and deviations from policy directly preceded the resident’s fatal entrapment between the bed rail and mattress.
Removal Plan
- Notify Medical Director
- Notify Ombudsman
- Conduct ad hoc QAPI
- DON to provide education to trainers regarding abuse and neglect
- Review admissions processes regarding bed rails and complete in-service with DON, ED, and IDT
- Provide in-service to all nurses involved with admissions process regarding bed rails
- Audit bed rails currently in use
- Inspect bed rails currently in use
- Verify consent on file for all bed rails in use
- Verify order and care plan for all bed rails
- Complete bed rail safety evaluation for all residents with bed rails
- Audit low air loss mattresses currently in use
- Verify order and care plan for all low air loss mattresses in use
- Complete fall risk assessment for all residents with low air loss mattress
- Provide staff education regarding use of enabler/bed rail
- Provide staff education regarding false safety
- Provide staff education regarding low air loss mattress
- Audit admissions for completion
- Audit low air loss mattresses and bedside rails
- Conduct ongoing monitoring for improvement to be reviewed at QAPI
Failure to Assess and Manage Pain During Wound Care for a Nonverbal Resident
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to provide safe, appropriate pain management consistent with professional standards of practice and the resident’s needs during wound care. A female resident with severe cognitive impairment (BIMS score of 00) was admitted with multiple pressure-related skin conditions, including a left heel deep tissue injury (DTI), right heel DTI, an unstageable sacral pressure injury, a left heel ulcer, a right bunion DTI, and other bruising/discoloration. Her MDS Care Area Assessment did not trigger for pain and no care planning decision for pain was documented. The resident’s care plan contained detailed entries for her multiple wounds but did not include any care plan for pain, despite the presence of significant pressure injuries and ongoing wound care orders. Record review showed the resident had an active PRN order for acetaminophen 500 mg every 6 hours as needed for pain and an order for Doxycycline for the sacral wound, as well as twice-daily wound care orders for the unstageable sacral pressure injury. The MAR for the month showed that no acetaminophen had been administered since early in the month, even though wound care was being performed twice daily. During an observed attempt to perform wound care, the resident was dependent for mobility and required staff to roll and reposition her. When staff attempted to roll her for treatment, she winced, cried out "Oh my God" in Spanish, and displayed furrowed eyebrows and facial expressions consistent with pain. CNAs assisting with care noted that she appeared to be lying on the wound, that her wounds often drained, and that there was a foul odor and visible brownish-green drainage on her brief and positioning towels. Despite these signs, the treatment nurse could not confirm whether the resident had been assessed for pain or medicated prior to the procedure and was unsure of the resident’s primary language. During this same encounter, the resident was noted by the surveyor and CNAs to feel warm to the touch, and her wounds and dressings showed green, brown, or red drainage. The treatment nurse and CNAs acknowledged the resident felt warm, but the charge nurse (LVN) initially stated there was no indication the resident was in pain or needed vital signs assessed and only checked the resident’s temperature after being prompted by the surveyor. The LVN reported a normal temperature using a contactless thermometer, was unsure if the resident had any pain medication orders, and did not initially perform a direct pain assessment. Subsequent interviews revealed that the wound care NP had observed increased necrotic tissue and odor in the sacral wound the prior week and that the resident had been frequently combative, refusing wound care by kicking and biting, but this behavior had not been considered as a possible reaction to pain. CNAs later described the resident’s facial expressions and reactions during repositioning as indicating pain, while the LVN reported feeling pressured and nervous during the surveyor’s questioning and could not clearly describe having assessed the resident for pain during her shift. The resident’s responsible party stated they had not been informed of wound odor, infection concerns, or antibiotic orders and believed the resident was receiving pain and fever medications, later expressing shock upon reviewing video that showed wound care being attempted without medication. The facility’s own pain assessment and management policy stated that residents should be assessed for pain at admission and ongoing, monitored for pain with changes in condition, and that procedures such as moving or wound care can cause pain. It also directed that pain management interventions be consistent with the resident’s goals and documented in the care plan, and that underlying causes of pain, including skin/wound conditions like pressure ulcers, be addressed. In this case, the resident with multiple pressure injuries and ongoing wound care had no pain care plan, no documented pain assessment using appropriate tools for severe dementia, and no administration of ordered PRN pain medication in the weeks preceding the observed event, despite clear non-verbal signs of pain during wound care attempts. These actions and omissions led surveyors to determine that the facility failed to ensure pain was assessed and treated prior to wound care, resulting in the resident crying out and exhibiting pain behaviors when touched or moved.
Removal Plan
- Amend treatment orders to require pain evaluation prior to treatments and medication if indicated upon re-admission.
- Provide additional 1:1 education to CNA A, CNA B, LVN A, and the facility treatment nurse specific to issues identified in the preliminary fact analysis.
- Nursing leadership (DON/designees) to conduct facility rounds on all residents to ensure no unreported or undocumented changes in pain levels; audit all wound care orders to ensure pain management orders are present as indicated.
- Complete house-wide pain assessments; communicate any reported pain to the charge nurse for medication administration if indicated and complete follow-up assessment to ensure effectiveness.
- Re-educate licensed nurses on change in condition, pain assessment and management, administering pain medications, and the pain-clinical protocol (including identifying situations where increased pain may be anticipated such as wound care, ambulation, repositioning, and reviewing the critical element pathway for pain recognition and management).
- Re-educate all non-licensed nursing staff on recognizing change in condition/status including changes in pain levels and proper reporting using STOP AND WATCH Alert in PCC/point-of-care documentation and/or direct communication to the charge nurse; re-educate staff not working prior to their next scheduled shift.
- Educate the Facility Administrator and DON by the Divisional President of Operations on standards of care, pain management, and quality oversight.
- Validate staff education via completion of a quiz and acknowledgement covering recognition of changes in condition, proper notification procedures, and pain assessment and management.
- Review and validate the pain assessment and management policy to ensure alignment with regulatory requirements (no changes required).
- Implement monitoring: change in condition/pain assessment audits (review 24-hour summary report and nurse progress notes; ensure changes are reported to the provider and documented; ensure pain assessments are completed prior to treatments); review audit results in IDT/QAPI meetings and address issues immediately, including provider communication.
Unsecured Mechanical Lifts Left Unlocked in Resident Hallway
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to keep the environment as free of accident hazards as possible in the hallway adjacent to the 300 Hall, specifically related to unsecured mechanical lifts. Surveyors repeatedly observed three mechanical lifts parked in this hallway that were unlocked and unsecured on multiple occasions over three consecutive days at various times. These observations showed that the lifts remained in an unsecured state while not in use, in an area used for storing and charging them. During interviews, an RN assigned to the 300 Hall stated she was unaware that the three mechanical lifts parked in the adjacent hallway were unlocked and unsecured, despite being stationed at the nearby nurses’ station. She reported having received in‑service training on mechanical lift safety and storage but could not recall when the training occurred. The RN acknowledged that mechanical lifts were supposed to be locked when not in use and confirmed that the three lifts observed were the only ones she used for residents and that they were stored in that hallway to be charged when not in use. She also stated that she typically did not check the parked lifts to verify they were locked and secured. A CNA assigned to the same hall similarly reported being unaware that the three mechanical lifts were unlocked and unsecured, despite also having received in‑service training on mechanical lift safety and storage and being unable to recall when that training last occurred. The DON stated she was unaware that the three lifts had been left unlocked and unsecured over the three days of observation and confirmed her expectation that all mechanical lifts be locked when not in use. The DON stated that all staff had been educated on proper mechanical lift usage and safety but could not recall when the last in‑service training occurred. The DON and Administrator both reported that the facility did not have a policy addressing accidents and hazards related to mechanical lift safety and storage, and the existing “Total Mechanical Lift” policy did not contain information on accidents and hazards related to lift safety and storage.
Food Storage, Labeling, and Temperature Monitoring Deficiencies in Kitchen
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified a deficiency in the facility’s food storage and handling practices in the main kitchen. During an observation of the walk-in refrigerator, they found a zip-top bag containing meat slices that was not fully sealed and exposed to air. They also observed one gallon container of sauce with black drippings on the handle and one jar of sauce with yellow, dried drippings around the rim. A container held approximately ten overripe whole bananas with black peels, and three whole eggs were left uncovered and exposed to air in an unlabeled and undated bowl. Additionally, temperature logs for two reach-in refrigerators and one reach-in freezer were missing the PM shift temperature checks and signatures for a specific date. In interviews, dietary staff, the Dietary Manager, and the Administrator confirmed that these conditions were inconsistent with facility policies and expected practices. Dietary staff stated that temperature logs were to be completed at the start and end of each shift by cooks and dietary aides, and that the Dietary Manager was responsible for ensuring completion. They explained that eggs should be returned to their original container or stored sealed, labeled, and dated; overripe bananas should be discarded; zip-top bags should be fully sealed; and jars and gallon containers should be wiped down after each use. The Dietary Manager and Administrator reiterated that all open food must be securely covered, labeled, and dated, and that fruits and vegetables showing visible damage or rot should be discarded, consistent with written facility policies on food storage and dietary food service personnel responsibilities.
Failure to Follow Physician Orders for Lymphedema Leg Wraps and Accurate Documentation
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to provide treatment and care in accordance with physician orders and professional standards of practice for one resident with lymphedema. The resident was an adult male with multiple diagnoses including cardiac arrhythmia, musculoskeletal symptoms, osteitis deformans of multiple sites, eye and adnexa disorder, lymphedema, major depressive disorder, prostate disorder, chronic pain, hypokalemia, COPD, muscle weakness, lack of coordination, epilepsy with complex partial seizures, unsteadiness on feet, and other gait and mobility abnormalities. His Quarterly MDS showed a BIMS score of 15, indicating intact cognition, and he was dependent for toileting hygiene, showering/bathing, and personal hygiene. Physician orders on the March MAR included ace wraps to both lower extremities every morning and removal every evening, along with edema checks every shift. On the survey date, record review of the March MAR showed that the charge nurse had documented completion of the resident’s morning leg wrap treatment, but when the surveyor reviewed the resident at 11:21 a.m., he was observed sitting in his wheelchair with his legs not wrapped. At 11:50 a.m., the MAR still reflected that the treatment was completed, despite the wraps not being in place. The resident reported he had severe leg swelling due to lymphedema and stated his legs were supposed to be wrapped daily, but the last time they had been wrapped was about a week prior. He stated that whether his call light requests for treatment were answered depended on who responded, and that staff sometimes did not return to complete his care, which made him feel bad. In interviews, Charge Nurse A acknowledged that it was not normal nursing practice to document treatment before completion and stated that the resident normally received leg wraps after his shower, but that morning the resident had not yet had a shower. CNAs provided differing accounts: one CNA stated the wraps were always on during bed baths but did not bathe the resident that day; another CNA stated that sometimes the resident’s legs were wrapped and sometimes not, that his legs were not wrapped that day, and that she had given him a bed bath that morning; a third CNA stated she had never seen his legs unwrapped. The NP explained that the purpose of the wraps was to enhance circulation due to lymphedema. The DON confirmed the resident had bilateral leg wrap orders in the morning and removal in the evening, and that she was informed around midday that his legs were not wrapped. The Administrator stated she knew the resident’s legs were wrapped but did not know why, and both the DON and Administrator stated that documentation of treatment should occur after the treatment is performed, consistent with the facility’s documentation policy, which prohibits false information in the medical record.
Failure to Accurately Assess, Care Plan, and Treat Pressure Ulcers for Multiple Residents
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to provide pressure ulcer care consistent with professional standards, including accurate assessment, staging, measurement, care planning, and implementation of ordered treatments for multiple residents with pressure injuries. For one resident with hemiplegia, vascular dementia, incontinence, low body weight, and an admission Braden score indicating risk, the facility did not consistently identify and document all existing wounds. Her care plan listed only a left heel pressure wound and omitted a sacral wound. Weekly skin assessments from late January through March repeatedly failed to document the sacral wound after its initial identification, and heel wounds were inconsistently documented without required measurements or staging. On several dates, the weekly skin assessment was left blank or lacked measurements, despite physician documentation that the left heel wound progressed from Stage 3 to Stage 4 with increasing size. The treatment administration record (TAR) also showed missing documentation of ordered wound treatments to the sacrum and left heel on multiple dates, with no corresponding nursing notes indicating that care was provided. A second resident with hemiplegia, vascular dementia, diabetes, malnutrition, peripheral vascular disease, incontinence, and significant weight loss was identified as at risk for pressure ulcers but initially had no documented pressure wounds. Her care plan, last updated the previous year, addressed only potential for pressure ulcer development and other skin integrity risks, and did not reflect a current sacral pressure wound. However, physician orders and TAR entries showed daily treatment to a sacral wound, and weekly skin assessments documented a sacral wound beginning in mid-February. These assessments frequently lacked staging and, at times, lacked complete measurements. Over several weeks, documentation showed the sacral wound increasing in size and evolving from MASD to an unstageable wound and then to a Stage 4 pressure injury requiring surgical debridement of devitalized tissue, including subcutaneous tissue, muscle fascia, and tendon. Despite this progression and ongoing wound physician involvement, the resident’s care plan was not updated to reflect the current pressure injury and specific wound care interventions. A third resident with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, muscle weakness, incontinence, and an initially non-risk Braden score that later declined to moderate risk had an unstageable sacral pressure ulcer present on admission and MASD. Her care plan included potential for pressure ulcer development, an unstageable sacral pressure ulcer related to immobility, and a wound infection requiring oral antibiotics. Physician orders directed weekly skin assessments and specific daily and evening wound treatments to the sacral area. However, the March TAR showed multiple dates where ordered sacral wound treatments and topical medication for left upper buttock redness were not documented as given, and nursing progress notes did not show that wound care was provided on those dates. Weekly skin assessments for this resident were inconsistent, with several assessments in early January documented as refused or limited, alternating between noting arm discoloration and no skin issues, and later assessments intermittently omitting the sacral wound or lacking measurements and staging. Wound physician notes documented an unstageable sacral pressure injury with rapid clinical decline and later a Stage 3 pressure injury that had increased in size, but these changes were not consistently mirrored in the facility’s weekly skin assessment documentation. Interviews with nursing staff and leadership further described systemic issues contributing to the deficiency. The treatment nurse stated she could not stage wounds and relied on the DON or wound physician for staging, and that she was responsible for updating care plans when new pressure injuries were identified, though she was unsure of the required timeframe. She also reported that she performed nearly all weekly skin assessments for approximately 96 residents Monday through Thursday, with no assessments scheduled on Fridays unless there was a new admission, and that wound measurements were typically taken only when the wound physician visited, after which she transferred his measurements into the weekly skin assessments. The DON and ADON indicated that the treatment nurse was responsible for all wound care planning, weekly skin assessments, and ensuring documentation, and acknowledged that missing or inconsistent wound measurements and documentation on weekly skin assessments would prevent the facility from determining whether wounds were improving or worsening. Facility policies required full assessment and documentation of pressure ulcers, including location, stage, length, width, depth, exudate, and necrotic tissue, as well as complete wound care documentation, but the records for these three residents showed repeated omissions and inconsistencies in assessment, staging, measurement, care planning, and documentation of ordered treatments.
Failure to Ensure Accessible Call Lights for Multiple Residents
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified a deficiency in the facility’s failure to reasonably accommodate resident needs and preferences by not ensuring that call lights were accessible to four residents reviewed. For one male resident with a skull fracture, a baseline MDS showing he was a fall risk and unable to complete the BIMS interview, and a care plan indicating he required assistance with ADLs, observation showed he was lying in bed with his call light positioned at the head of the bed, out of his reach. A second male resident, with diagnoses including need for assistance with personal care, stroke, and dysphagia, and a quarterly MDS indicating he was unable to complete the BIMS interview, had a care plan intervention specifying that his call light should be within reach; however, observation found him lying in bed with his call light on the floor, out of reach. A third resident, a female with lack of coordination, unsteadiness on her feet, repeated falls, and severe cognitive impairment (BIMS score of 1), had a care plan intervention to ensure her call light was within reach, yet she was observed lying in bed with her call light placed on her roommate’s bed. A fourth male resident with right-sided paralysis, intact cognition (BIMS 14), and a care plan identifying him as a fall risk with an intervention to keep his call light within reach, was observed lying in bed with his call light on the nightstand, out of reach. During interviews, a CNA, an LVN, and the DON each stated that call bells should always be within residents’ reach and that all staff are responsible for ensuring this, and acknowledged that lack of accessible call bells could result in accidents, falls, avoidable injuries, delayed care, and unmet needs. The facility’s written policy on call lights required staff to place the call device within the resident’s reach before leaving the room.
Failure to Maintain Clean Resident Rooms and Hallway Handrails
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified a deficiency in the facility’s failure to provide a safe, clean, comfortable, and homelike environment, as required by the facility’s Resident Rights policy. During observations on the 300 and 400 halls, surveyors noted that handrails contained debris, including a piece of tissue with a red and brownish substance on the 300 hall and candy wrappers, gum, clear plastic materials, and large pieces of paper wedged between the rails on the 400 hall. Multiple resident rooms on these halls were found with unclean and unsanitary conditions. Several bathrooms had brownish or grayish stains in the corners of the floors and around toilets, as well as dark stains along floor edges, in corners, and in showers. Room floors showed built-up dirt near closet doors, door frames, and along floor edges, with brownish or dark stains near beds and walls. Additional observations revealed that air conditioning unit vents and filters in several rooms had black grime or thick dust accumulation. In multiple rooms, sharps containers used for needle disposal had used, dirty or disposable gloves and pieces of trash placed on top of them. During interviews, the Administrator stated that housekeeping services were provided seven days a week, with cleaning in the morning and evening, and that housekeeping was expected to thoroughly clean resident rooms and facility areas. A housekeeper assigned to the 300 and 400 halls confirmed responsibility for cleaning entire rooms, bathrooms, floors, and wiping down handrails, stating that handrails were wiped at least once a week and acknowledging that the observed conditions were a health hazard. The Housekeeping Supervisor confirmed that housekeeping and floor technicians were responsible for cleaning hallways, floors, handrails, entire rooms, bathrooms, and air conditioning units, and acknowledged that not thoroughly cleaning rooms and handrails could cause an infection.
Improper Storage and Maintenance of Oxygen and Nebulizer Equipment
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified that the facility failed to provide respiratory care consistent with professional standards, physician orders, and the infection prevention and control program for three residents receiving oxygen and nebulizer treatments. For a male resident with COPD, record review showed physician orders to change tubing, clean filters, and change the O2 water bottle and nebulizer kit weekly on night shift every Saturday. However, observation revealed that his nasal cannula connected to the oxygen concentrator and his nebulizer mask connected to the nebulizer machine were not bagged or labeled with a date when not in use. For a female resident with asthma, physician orders directed weekly changes of tubing, filter cleaning, and O2 water bottle changes, but observation showed her nasal cannula connected to the oxygen concentrator was not bagged or labeled, and an oxygen humidifier bottle left on the nightstand was only one-quarter full, cracked, and dated from an earlier date. A female resident with COPD had physician orders to change tubing, clean filters, and change the O2 water bottle and nebulizer kit weekly, as well as orders to obtain and record pulse, O2 saturation, treatment minutes, and lung sounds in relation to nebulizer treatments. Observation found that her nasal cannula connected to the oxygen concentrator and nebulizer mask connected to the nebulizer machine were not bagged or labeled with a date when not in use. Staff interviews with a CNA, an LVN, and the DON confirmed that facility practice and expectations were for oxygen tubing and nebulizer masks to be bagged and dated when not in use, with bags changed weekly or as needed, and for humidifier bottles to be changed regularly. The DON stated that failure to follow these practices could be an infection control issue leading to serious health consequences. The facility’s written Infection Prevention and Control Program policy emphasized decreasing infection risk, recognizing infection control practices during care, and ensuring compliance with infection control regulations, which was not followed in these observed instances.
Medication Administration, Monitoring, and Storage Failures During Med Pass
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to provide pharmaceutical services that ensured accurate acquiring, receiving, dispensing, and administering of medications and biologicals for all 10 residents reviewed for pharmacy services. Record reviews showed that multiple residents had active physician orders for medications to treat conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, dementia, end-stage renal disease, hypertension, heart failure, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, hypothyroidism, seizures, neuropathy, and pain. These medications included antihypertensives (such as amlodipine, hydralazine, metoprolol, benazepril, nifedipine), anticoagulants (Eliquis), antidiabetics (metformin, insulin), antipsychotics (olanzapine, quetiapine), anticonvulsants (levetiracetam), thyroid replacement (levothyroxine), heart failure medications (furosemide, carvedilol, isosorbide dinitrate), and others such as gabapentin, baclofen, galantamine, and lidocaine patches. During observation of a morning medication pass, surveyors noted that Med Tech F had not finished passing morning medications on two hallways between 10:15 a.m. and 11:14 a.m., even though those medications were scheduled for 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. This meant that residents’ medications were administered more than one hour after their scheduled administration times, contrary to the facility’s stated one-hour before or after administration window. Interviews with Med Tech F, LVN A, and the DON confirmed that facility practice and policy required medications to be given at the ordered times within that window to maintain effectiveness and comply with physician orders. The facility also failed to follow required procedures related to medication parameters and storage. Med Tech F and LVN A stated that medications with blood pressure check parameters required a blood pressure reading before dispensing the medication into a cup, but the report states the facility failed to check one resident’s blood pressure before dispensing medication. Additionally, observations and interviews revealed that the Med Pass liquid nutritional supplement, described as milk-based, was not kept refrigerated or on ice during medication administration, despite manufacturer directions and facility protocol requiring it to be refrigerated or kept on ice. Further, review of insulin storage on three halls showed that 12 of 14 insulin vials were not dated with the date of first use, even though LVN A, LVN B, and the DON stated that facility policy required insulin vials to be dated when opened and discarded after a specified period (generally 28–30 days). These failures placed residents at risk for receiving medications outside ordered time frames and using insulin vials without a known open date. Facility policy and procedure for medication administration (Policy Number 7C) required that medications be administered as prescribed by the resident’s physician, in accordance with written orders and the resident’s service plan, and that routine medications be administered per facility time ranges unless otherwise specified. The policy also required that medications be recorded on the MAR, that resident identification be verified prior to administration, and that medications be administered according to the dosage schedule on the MAR. Staff interviews confirmed awareness of these requirements, including the need to date insulin vials upon opening and to maintain proper storage conditions for nutritional supplements. Despite this, the observed late medication administration, failure to check blood pressure before dispensing certain medications, failure to keep Med Pass on ice or refrigerated, and failure to date insulin vials demonstrated noncompliance with the facility’s own medication administration and pharmaceutical services procedures for the residents reviewed.
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