Above average — CMS composite of the measures below.
The next survey window likely opens around November 2026
Estimate from public CMS data, current as of July 2026. Survey timing is at the state agency's discretion.
Citation history
Health deficiencies cited at Slaton Care Center during CMS and state inspections, most recent first.
Kitchen staff repeatedly left food uncovered while preparing and serving cornbread, bread pudding, salad, and grilled cheese, and a cook repeatedly used gloves without washing hands before or after glove use. In addition, resident drink cups were stacked so tray bottoms touched the cup rims, and the DOR later handled the cart without correcting the storage issue. Interviews confirmed staff were aware of food coverage, cup storage, and hand hygiene expectations, but the practices were not followed.
A resident with respiratory failure, CHF, and HTN was observed receiving oxygen by nasal cannula at 3 L/min, but the EMR had no physician order for oxygen. The resident stated he had used oxygen continuously since admission and had been dependent on it for years. The ADM and DON said a physician order was required, but the admitting nurse had not clarified or obtained one, even though the care plan documented oxygen therapy.
Loose Pills Found in Medication Carts: Two medication carts were observed with loose 1/2 tablets of Metoprolol 25 mg in their drawers. MA A found the pills, brought them to the DON for ID, and destroyed them. MA A said blister packs could get bumped and knock pills loose, while the ADM and DON stated nursing staff and MAs were responsible for proper medication storage and cart monitoring.
A resident with severe cognitive impairment and a pureed diet order did not receive all items listed on the lunch menu. Staff pureed gumbo, rice, and bread pudding, but the tray observed in the dining room did not include cornbread or a vegetable. The DM, DON, ADM, and dietary staff stated residents who eat orally should receive everything on the menu or something comparable, and staff acknowledged the tray was not checked correctly before it was served.
Failure to Use Required PPE During Wound Care: An LVN performed wound care on a resident with a chronic ankle ulcer who was on EBP while wearing gloves but not a gown, despite the care plan requiring gown and glove use for wound care and other high-contact care. The LVN acknowledged the omission, and the ADM and DON stated staff were expected to follow EBP guidelines and that nursing administration was responsible for training and monitoring compliance.
Semi-Private Room Too Small for Required Resident Space: A semi-private room measured 153 square feet instead of the required 160 square feet for two residents. The ADM stated he knew the room was smaller than required, wanted to continue the waiver, and said the room was being used as an office with no intent to use it for residents or remodel it to meet the space requirement.
A resident with specific dietary needs was not provided with double portions as ordered by a physician, leading to potential risks for weight loss and altered nutritional status. The facility staff, including the dietary manager, CNAs, and the DON, were unaware or confused about the resident's dietary orders, resulting in the resident receiving only regular portions. The NP confirmed the need to follow the physician's order, but the facility lacked a clear policy for ensuring dietary orders were communicated and followed.
The facility's kitchen failed to meet professional standards for food safety, with unclean equipment handles, improperly stored food, and expired items present. The Dietary Manager and Administrator acknowledged these issues, which were contrary to the facility's policies.
The facility failed to provide palatable and properly heated food during a lunch meal, with issues such as lukewarm vegetables, salty gravy, and spicy potatoes noted. Residents expressed dissatisfaction with the food's taste and temperature. The Dietary Manager admitted the meal was not tasted before serving, and the Administrator noted that new kitchen staff were still in training.
A resident experienced issues with a non-functioning bathroom light switch and an unstable toilet in a shared bathroom. The resident, who is cognitively intact and has a history of transient cerebral ischemic attack and other conditions, reported the light switch problem but not the loose toilet. Observations confirmed the issues, and the facility's administration and maintenance director were unaware of them, with no open work orders for repairs.
The facility failed to ensure treatment carts were free of expired medical supplies, as observed in Treatment Cart A, which contained several expired items. Despite weekly audits and a checklist for medication cart inspections, the expired items were missed. Interviews with the DON, ADM, and an LVN revealed inconsistencies in the auditing process and training, with the LVN expressing uncertainty about receiving training on checking for expired items.
Uncovered food, improper hand hygiene, and contaminated cup storage in kitchen
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to store, prepare, distribute, and serve food in accordance with professional standards in Kitchen A. During observation on 12/2/25, multiple food items were left uncovered for extended periods while in the kitchen and on the serving line, including dry cornbread mix, cooked cornbread, bread pudding, salad ingredients, and grilled cheese sandwiches. The cornbread mix was observed uncovered before being mixed, the cooked cornbread was left uncovered on the serving table, and the bread pudding was left uncovered after being removed from the oven and again after being plated. The salad ingredients were also left uncovered in a metal bowl while preparation continued, and grilled cheese sandwiches were left uncovered on the stove and on a plate on the kitchen table. The same observation period showed repeated hand hygiene failures by the cook. The cook donned gloves without washing hands before glove use, removed gloves without washing hands afterward, and repeated this pattern while preparing the salad, cornbread, and grilled cheese sandwiches. The report states the cook did not perform hand hygiene before putting on gloves at 11:02 AM, 11:20 AM, and 11:57 AM, and did not wash hands after removing gloves at 11:04 AM, 11:25 AM, and 12:04 PM. The cook later stated he was not aware he was required to wash his hands before and after glove use and said he may need additional training. On 12/3/25, resident drink cups on a rolling cart were stacked so that trays were directly on top of uncovered cups, exposing the rims of the cups to the underside of the serving trays. The DOR later filled the cups and moved the trays without correcting the stacking issue. During interviews, the DM stated she was unaware of the uncovered food, the improper cup storage, and the poor hand hygiene. The ADM stated all food not actively being served was expected to be covered immediately, that staff were expected to wash hands before and after glove use, and that cups should have been properly stored with lids. Record review showed the facility policy required open foods to be completely covered and the FDA Food Code required food protection from contamination and handwashing before donning gloves and after removing gloves.
Missing Physician Order for Oxygen Therapy
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that Resident #44, a male with diagnoses including respiratory failure, congestive heart failure, and hypertension, had a physician order for oxygen despite receiving oxygen therapy. Record review showed no completed MDS assessment and no oxygen order on the physician order listing report, while the comprehensive care plan, revised on 12/03/25, documented that the resident used oxygen therapy related to chronic respiratory failure and included monitoring for respiratory distress and reporting to the MD as needed. During observations, Resident #44 was seen receiving oxygen via concentrator at 3 liters per minute through nasal cannula on multiple occasions. In interview, the resident stated he had been admitted with oxygen and had worn it continuously since admission, and that he had been dependent on oxygen for several years. The ADM stated he was not aware the resident did not have an oxygen order and said the admission charge nurse was responsible for obtaining and entering orders, while nursing administration was responsible for monitoring orders for accuracy. The DON stated a physician order was required for oxygen administration, that the resident had been on oxygen since admission without an order, and that the admitting nurse was responsible for clarifying and obtaining the order. The facility policy titled Oxygen Administration stated that the amount and method of oxygen administration are ordered by the physician.
Loose Pills Found in Medication Carts
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that drugs and biologicals were stored in locked compartments with proper access controls for 2 medication carts, Medication Cart A and Medication Cart B. During observation, a small white round loose pill, identified by the DON as a 1/2 tablet of Metoprolol 25 mg, was found in a drawer of Medication Cart B. A similar loose pill was then found in a drawer of Medication Cart A, and the DON also identified it as a 1/2 tablet of Metoprolol 25 mg. In both instances, MA A placed the pill in a dispensing cup and took it to the DON for identification before destroying it in a medication destruction liquid. During interview, MA A stated she was unsure why the carts contained loose pills and explained that blister packs could get bumped around and knock pills loose. She stated she usually checked the medication carts daily for loose and expired pills and cleanliness and said she had been trained on proper medication storage through in-services and occasional cart audits by the pharmacy consultant. The ADM stated he was not aware of loose pills on the carts and said nursing staff and nursing administration were responsible for proper storage and monitoring through random cart audits. The DON stated there should not be loose pills on the medication carts and identified nursing staff and MAs as responsible for proper storage, with training provided through in-services and annual competency checks and monitoring by the pharmacy consultant.
Menu Not Followed for Pureed Meal Tray
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure menus were followed for one resident who was on a regular diet with pureed texture. Resident #28 was a severely cognitively impaired female with GERD and a physician order for a regular diet, pureed texture. Her care plan identified her as being at risk for unplanned weight loss and directed staff to serve diet and snacks as ordered. Her weight remained about 115 pounds in the records reviewed. On 12/2/25, the facility menu for lunch listed chicken and sausage gumbo, steamed rice, tossed salad, cornbread, margarine, bread pudding, and iced tea. The resident’s lunch ticket reflected gumbo, rice, soft cooked vegetable, cornbread, margarine, bread pudding, and iced tea. During kitchen observations, staff pureed the bread pudding, rice, and gumbo, but no staff were observed pureeing a soft vegetable or cornbread. When the resident’s tray was observed in the dining room, it contained gumbo, rice, and bread pudding, and there was no cornbread or soft vegetable present. During interviews, the DM, DON, ADM, dietary staff, and nursing staff stated residents who ate orally should receive everything on the menu or something comparable, and that staff were expected to check trays against the ticket before serving them. The DM stated she became aware after the surveyor left the kitchen that Resident #28 did not receive a vegetable or cornbread. The dietary and nursing staff interviewed stated they did not know why the items were missing, and one dietary staff member stated he did not read the ticket correctly and was reading quickly. The facility’s Resident Menus policy stated menus were to meet nutritional needs, be prepared in advance, be followed, and be used for therapeutic diets.
Failure to Use Required PPE During Wound Care
Penalty
Summary
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program was deficient when an LVN failed to wear a gown while performing wound care on a resident who was on Enhanced Barrier Precautions (EBP). Resident #20 was an [AGE] year-old male admitted on [DATE] with diagnoses including a non-pressure chronic ulcer of the right ankle, Type II Diabetes Mellitus, and cerebral infarction. His annual MDS reflected a BIMS score of 09, indicating moderate cognitive impairment, and his care plan identified that he was on EBP with instructions for staff to don gloves and a gown for wound care and other high-contact activities. During observation, the LVN performed daily wound care to the resident’s right ankle wound while wearing gloves but without putting on a gown, despite EBP signage on the room door and PPE available at the entrance. In interview, the LVN stated she did not put on the required gown because she was focused on performing the wound care correctly and acknowledged that PPE should be worn for direct care on residents on EBP. The ADM and DON stated staff were expected to follow EBP guidelines and that nursing administration was responsible for training and monitoring compliance.
Semi-Private Room Too Small for Required Resident Space
Penalty
Summary
Room [ROOM NUMBER] did not meet the required square footage for a semi-private resident bedroom. Observation on 12/3/25 at 3:50 PM showed the room measured 153 square feet, using a state-issued Apple phone, instead of the 160 square feet required for two residents in a semi-private room. The room was identified as a semi-private room intended for two residents, and the facility had listed it as a Title 18 bed classification semiprivate room for two residents on Texas Health and Human Services Form 3740 dated 12/2/25. During interview on 12/5/25 at 2:36 PM, the ADM stated he was aware during the entrance conference that room [ROOM NUMBER] was smaller than required and wished to continue filing the waiver. He stated the room was being used as an office and that he had no intention of using it for residents or remodeling it to meet the 160-square-foot requirement. Record review of Texas Health and Human Services Form 3762 dated 12/2/25 showed room [ROOM NUMBER] did not meet the justification criteria, and an email from the ADM dated 12/10/25 documented room dimensions of 14 feet by 11 feet by 8 feet.
Failure to Provide Double Portions as Ordered
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide a resident with a nourishing, palatable, well-balanced diet that met his daily nutritional and special dietary needs, as per physician orders. The resident, who was cognitively intact and dependent on assistance for eating, was supposed to receive double portions at meals three times a day. However, the facility only provided regular portions, which did not align with the physician's orders. This discrepancy was confirmed through interviews with the resident, dietary manager, and nursing staff, who all provided conflicting accounts of the resident's dietary orders and the portions being served. The dietary manager stated that the dietary staff could see a resident's portion size order on their meal ticket, but there was confusion between large portions and double portions. The dietary manager and other staff members, including CNAs and LVNs, were not aware of any residents receiving double portions, and there was no communication form found for the resident in question. The dietary manager relied on the DON or charge nurse to communicate dietary orders, but there was a lack of clarity and consistency in this process. Interviews with various staff members, including CNAs, LVNs, the DON, and the AIT, revealed a lack of awareness and understanding of the resident's dietary orders. The DON admitted to not reviewing all residents' dietary orders since starting at the facility, and the AIT was not aware of the resident's order for double portions. The NP confirmed that the facility should have followed the physician's order for double portions, although there were no significant changes in the resident's weight. The facility was unable to provide a policy specifically related to following physician orders for dietary needs.
Deficiencies in Kitchen Cleanliness and Food Storage
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to adhere to professional standards for food service safety in its kitchen, as observed during a survey. The deficiencies included unclean refrigerator, oven, freezer, and microwave handles, which had hard, dried substances stuck on them. Additionally, food storage practices were inadequate, with some food items not being completely sealed in the pantry and freezer. Specifically, a bag of dry granola and a pie crust were found unsealed. Furthermore, bowls were improperly stored facing up instead of upside down, and expired food items were present in the kitchen. Interviews with the Dietary Manager (DM) and the Administrator (ADM) revealed that the dietary staff were responsible for daily and weekly cleaning, but there were ongoing issues with cleanliness and food storage. The DM acknowledged the potential risk of making residents sick due to these practices. The ADM confirmed that the DM and cooks were responsible for kitchen cleanliness and food storage, and noted that a new staff member was undergoing training. The facility's policies from 2012 outlined the need for clean and sanitized equipment, proper food storage, and regular cleaning of refrigerators, but these were not followed, leading to the observed deficiencies.
Deficiency in Food Palatability and Temperature
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide food that was palatable and at a safe, appetizing temperature for residents during a lunch meal. Observations and interviews revealed that vegetables were lukewarm, the gravy for the meat was excessively salty, and the potatoes were overly spicy for both regular and mechanical soft texture meals. Three residents expressed concerns about the food's taste and temperature, stating that it was sometimes cold and unappetizing. A test tray evaluation confirmed these issues, with lukewarm green beans, tough garlic bread, salty gravy, spicy potatoes, and soggy rolls being noted. Interviews with the Dietary Manager (DM) and the Administrator (ADM) revealed that the noon meal was not tasted before being served, contrary to the facility's policy. The DM acknowledged the issues with the meal and noted that cold food could potentially lead to bacterial growth, posing a risk to residents. The ADM stated that the kitchen staff were new and still undergoing training, which may have contributed to the problems. The facility's policy emphasized the importance of preparing food to maximize flavor, appearance, and nutritional value, with the DM and cooks responsible for daily tasting and testing of meals.
Resident's Bathroom Safety and Functionality Issues
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure a safe, clean, comfortable, and homelike environment for a resident, specifically regarding the functionality of the bathroom light switch and the stability of the toilet in a shared bathroom. The resident, a cognitively intact female with a history of transient cerebral ischemic attack, type 2 diabetes mellitus, Zoster Keratitis, and unspecified lack of coordination, reported that her bathroom light switch was not functioning properly, and the toilet was wobbly. The resident had to either leave the door open to use the bedroom light or use the toilet without a light, as the light switch in her room did not control the bathroom light unless the switch in the neighboring room was turned on. Observations confirmed that the toilet in the shared bathroom was not secure and could be moved with a gentle nudge. Additionally, the bathroom light switch in the resident's room did not function unless the switch in the neighboring room was activated. Interviews with the resident revealed that she had not reported the loose toilet, and she had not experienced any accidents due to these issues. The facility's administration and maintenance director were unaware of these problems, and there were no open work orders for the necessary repairs. The maintenance director, who had been employed for a month, stated that there was no procedure in place to check toilets or light switches in residents' rooms prior to the incident. The facility's administration acknowledged the lack of a specific policy or system for ensuring the functionality of toilets and light switches, although a system for reporting repairs was in place. The administration recognized the risk of falls and injuries due to the loose toilet and non-functioning light switch, but no prior reports had been made through the existing system.
Expired Medical Supplies Found in Treatment Cart
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide adequate pharmaceutical services by not ensuring that treatment carts were free of expired medical supplies. During an observation of Treatment Cart A, several expired items were found, including a Self-Cath foley catheter, a catheter stabilization device, Hypafix adhesive bandage, and a urinary leg bag. These items had expiration dates ranging from March 2023 to July 2024. The Director of Nursing (DON) stated that weekly audits of treatment and medication carts are conducted, and nurses are assigned to check all items and medications. However, the expired items were missed, and the DON was unsure how this occurred, suggesting that the items might have belonged to a resident. Interviews with the DON, Administrator (ADM), and a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) revealed inconsistencies in the auditing process and training. The DON mentioned that compliance is monitored through checks and staff education, while the ADM stated that nurses are responsible for ensuring carts are free of expired items, with audits conducted weekly. The LVN indicated that checks are done monthly and expressed uncertainty about receiving training on checking for expired items. A review of facility documents showed a checklist for medication cart inspections and a policy for monthly central supply sweeps to ensure no expired items are present. Despite these procedures, the facility failed to prevent expired items from being stored in the treatment cart, potentially compromising resident care.
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Resident with a documented fall history left unattended on the patio; found on the ground with a hip fracture.
Walk-in cooler logs missing for 12 days; expired supplements in the medication room fridge.
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Nursing homes near Slaton
How nearby facilities compare on the same public inspection record.
| Facility | Distance | Overall rating | Citations, 12 mo | Serious (J–L) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windmill Village Rehabilitation & Care Center | 14.3 mi | ★★★★★ | 2 | 0 |
| Avir At Heritage Oaks | 14.4 mi | ★★★★★ | 16 | 0 |
| Hansford County Hospital District Dba Lakeridge Nu | 15.8 mi | ★★★★★ | 12 | 0 |
| Lakeside Rehabilitation And Care Center | 16.8 mi | ★★★★★ | 7 | 0 |
| Lubbock Health Care Center | 16.9 mi | ★★★★★ | 6 | 0 |
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