LARCHWOOD INNS

2845 N 15TH ST, GRAND JUNCTION, CO 81506 (970) 245-0022
For profit - Corporation 130 Beds Independent Data: November 2025
Trust Grade
10/100
#155 of 208 in CO
Last Inspection: April 2024

Within standard 12-15 month inspection cycle. Federal law requires annual inspections.

Overview

Larchwood Inns has received a Trust Grade of F, indicating significant concerns about the facility's operations and care quality. It ranks #155 out of 208 nursing homes in Colorado, placing it in the bottom half of facilities in the state, and #3 out of 7 in Mesa County, meaning only two local options are worse. While the facility's trend is improving, with a reduction in issues from 14 in 2024 to 4 in 2025, it still has a troubling history, including a serious incident where a resident was allowed to exit the building unsupervised, leading to a fall and hospitalization. Staffing at Larchwood Inns is a relative strength, earning a rating of 4 out of 5, with a turnover rate of 48%, which is slightly below the state average. However, the facility has faced $46,982 in fines, raising concerns about ongoing compliance issues.

Trust Score
F
10/100
In Colorado
#155/208
Bottom 26%
Safety Record
High Risk
Review needed
Inspections
Getting Better
14 → 4 violations
Staff Stability
⚠ Watch
48% turnover. Above average. Higher turnover means staff may not know residents' routines.
Penalties
○ Average
$46,982 in fines. Higher than 65% of Colorado facilities. Some compliance issues.
Skilled Nurses
✓ Good
Each resident gets 44 minutes of Registered Nurse (RN) attention daily — more than average for Colorado. RNs are trained to catch health problems early.
Violations
⚠ Watch
33 deficiencies on record. Higher than average. Multiple issues found across inspections.
★★☆☆☆
2.0
Overall Rating
★★★★☆
4.0
Staff Levels
★★★☆☆
3.0
Care Quality
★★☆☆☆
2.0
Inspection Score
Stable
2024: 14 issues
2025: 4 issues

The Good

  • 4-Star Staffing Rating · Above-average nurse staffing levels
  • Full Sprinkler Coverage · Fire safety systems throughout facility
  • No fines on record

Facility shows strength in staffing levels, fire safety.

The Bad

2-Star Overall Rating

Below Colorado average (3.1)

Below average - review inspection findings carefully

Staff Turnover: 48%

Near Colorado avg (46%)

Higher turnover may affect care consistency

Federal Fines: $46,982

Above median ($33,413)

Moderate penalties - review what triggered them

The Ugly 33 deficiencies on record

4 actual harm
Aug 2025 2 deficiencies
CONCERN (D) 📢 Someone Reported This

A family member, employee, or ombudsman was alarmed enough to file a formal complaint

Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed

Deficiency F0627 (Tag F0627)

Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident

**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on record review and interviews, the facility failed to ensure one (#1) of three residents were provided the care and serv...

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**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on record review and interviews, the facility failed to ensure one (#1) of three residents were provided the care and services necessary to ensure a safe discharge from the facility to the community out of seven sample residents. Specifically, the facility failed to:-Allow Resident #2 to return to the facility after an unplanned discharge to the hospital;-Provide documentation made by Resident #2's physician, including the specific resident needs the facility could not meet, the facility's efforts to meet those needs and the specific services the receiving facility would provide to meet the needs of the resident which could not be met at the current facility; and,-Reassess Resident #2 for readmission after he was stabilized at the hospital and ready to return to the facility.Findings include:I. Facility policy and procedureThe Transfer or Discharge, Facility-Initiated policy, revised October 2022, was provided by the assistant director of nursing (ADON) on 8/21/25 at 11:31p.m. The policy read in pertinent part, Once admitted to the facility, residents have the right to remain in the facility. Facility-initiated transfers and discharges, when necessary, must meet specific criteria and require resident/representative notification and orientation, and documentation as specified in this policy. Each resident will be permitted to remain in the facility and not be transferred or discharged unless;-The transfer discharge is necessary for the resident's welfare and the resident's needs can not be met in this facility; and,-The safety of individuals in the facility is endangered due to the clinical or behavioral status of the resident. Residents who are sent emergently to an acute care setting, these scenarios are considered facility initiated transfers, not discharges, because the residents return is generally expected. Residents who are sent emergently to an acute care setting, such as a hospital, are permitted to return to the facility. If discharge is initiated by the facility after an emergent transfer to the hospital, the reason for the discharge is based on the resident status at the time the resident seeks to return to the facility and not at the time the resident was transferred to acute care. Should a resident be transferred or discharged for any reason, the following information is communicated to the receiving facility or provider: The specific resident needs that can not be met; the facilities attempt to meet those needs; and, the receiving facilities services that are available to meet those needs. Should the resident be transferred to discharge for any of the following reasons, the basis of the transfer or discharge is documented in the resident's clinical record by the resident's attending physician. The transfer discharge is necessary for the residents welfare and the resident's needs cannot be met in the facility. Should the resident be transferred or discharged for any reasons the basis of the transfer discharge will be documented in the resident's clinical record by a physician, the safety of the individuals of the facilities endangered due to the clinical behavior status of the resident or the health of the individuals in the facility would otherwise be endangered. If the facility determines that the resident can not return to the facility, the medical record would indicate that the facility made efforts to determine if the resident still required the services of the facility and was eligible for Medicare skilled nursing facility or Medicaid nursing facility services; ascertain an accurate status of resident's condition, which can be accomplished via communication between the hospital and facility staff and/or through visits by the facility staff to the hospital; find out from the hospital the treatments, medications and the services the facility would need to provide to meet the residents needs upon returning to the facility. If the facility is unable to provide the treatments, medications, and services needed, the facility may not be able to meet the residents needs; and work with the hospital to ensure the residence condition needs are within the facility's scope of care, based on its facility assessment prior to the hospital discharge.II. Resident statusResident #2, age greater than 65, was admitted on [DATE] and discharged to the hospital on 7/31/25. According to the July 2025 computerized physician orders (CPO), diagnoses included non-traumatic acute subdural hemorrhage, reduced mobility, mild cognitive impairment of uncertain or unknown etiology, repeated falls, need for assistance with personal care, unspecified lack of coordination and generalized muscle weakness.The 7/15/25 minimum data set (MDS) assessment identified Resident #2 was cognitively intact with a brief interview for mental status (BIMS) score of 15 out of 15. The MDS assessment indicated the resident required partial to moderate physical assistance for transferring from surface to surface, bed mobility and walking. The MDS assessment documented Resident #2 used a motorized wheelchair. III. Resident representative interviewResident #2's representative was interviewed on 8/20/25 at 5:10 p.m. The representative said Resident #2 was initially admitted to the facility from the hospital after a fall, for therapy and long-term placement. He said Resident #2 was sent back to the hospital two weeks later. He said he was told that Resident #2 was sent to the hospital related to a fall at the facility. He said he later learned that the facility felt Resident #2 had a psychotic episode. He said Resident #2 was not evaluated by his physician before the facility determined he had a psychotic episode and sent him out. He said he felt the facility dumped him at the hospital. The representative said the hospital and the facility had a conference together that he was not invited to. He said he was then informed by the hospital that the facility was not going to allow Resident #2 to return to the facility and it was inappropriate for them to not allow him to return. The resident representative said he was never provided a notice of discharge or information on the discharge appeal process. He said she was never told that he could try to appeal the facility's decision. He said he just knew that Resident #2 was not welcome back at the facility. The representative said he was never recommended or referred to other facilities. He said Resident #2 was currently at another facility and had not had any problems there.Cross reference F628 for failure to provide an appropriate discharge process.IV. Record reviewThe cognition care plan, initiated 7/29/25, identified Resident #2 was at risk for cognitive decline related to mild cognitive impairment. According to the care plan, he could make his needs known but his hearing difficulties were a potential barrier for communication. Interventions, initiated 7/29/25, included approaching Resident #2 in a calm, quiet manner and offering reassurance before initiating care or providing direction, ensuring the resident was safe, re-approaching at a later time when it was safe/less distressing to the resident if he had increased confusion, frustration or agitation and asking for assistance from a different staff member.The discharge care plan, initiated 7/29/25, identified Resident #2 was a long-term care resident with no intent to discharge. Interventions, initiated 7/29/25, included providing local agency referrals as appropriate when the resident/responsible party asked about discharge and waiting for the resident/responsible party to initiate conversation regarding discharge. -Review of Resident #2's comprehensive care plan revealed the resident did not have a care plan for a risk of behaviors, or wandering/elopement.The 7/21/25 nursing progress note documented Resident #2 was near the back door and requested to walk to the Veterans Affairs facility (VA) or just go for a walk around. The note identified he was upset that he was at his current facility and wanted to go to the VA. According to the note, the resident was redirected back to his room. He told the staff he would try to contact the VA to come and get him. The note indicated Resident #2 was told why he was in nursing care and he voiced understanding. The admission/discharge report was provided by the nursing home administrator (NHA) on 8/19/25 at approximately 11:00 am. The report indicated Resident #2 discharged to the hospital on 7/31/25. The report did not identify if he returned to the facility. The 7/31/25 administration note documented Resident #2 was at the hospital.-Review of progress notes did not identify why the resident went to the hospital or incidents occurring on or before 7/31/25 requiring hospitalization. -Review of progress notes did not indicate that Resident #2 had been formally discharged from the facility. -Review of progress notes did not identify the resident's physician documented the safety of the individuals in the facility were endangered due to the clinical behavior status of Resident #2. The 7/31/25 wandering assessment documented Resident #2 was at moderate risk for wandering.-Review of assessments did not identify the resident was evaluated for wandering/elopement prior to 7/31/25. The 7/31/25 at 6:35 a.m. incident report for elopement was provided by the NHA on 8/20/25 at 4:35 p.m. The report documented Resident #2 eloped by using the door at the end of the hall. According to the report, the staff ran after the resident, attempting to coax him back inside. Resident #2 ran, fell and became violent. The risk assessment indicated he started to swing at anyone who tried to stop him. The report identified the resident was placed in a chair and wheeled backwards inside the facility while he attempted to hit and bite staff. The assessment revealed the resident was able to go out the same door again. The staff followed the resident, contacted his physician and requested a physician's order to send the resident out to the hospital. The assessment identified Resident #2 remained calm as long as the staff did not approach him or attempt to bring him back into the facility. The 7/31/25 hospital final transcript documented Resident #2 was brought to the emergency department (ED) by emergency medical services (EMS) for a possible fall at his living facility and he was somewhat combative with them in the morning (7/31/25). According to the transcript, EMS reported to the hospital that Resident #2 was fine with them. The transcript identified Resident #2 arrived at the hospital without complaints or signs of trauma on exam and likely had some behavioral issues and dementia and may or may not have fallen. The transcript revealed there did not appear to be evidence of an acute emergency condition that would necessitate hospitalization or suggest a need for immediate inpatient treatment given their lack of red flags for serious illness and he remained stable in the emergency department. The hospital transcript revealed the hospital attempted to transfer Resident #2 back to his living facility but the facility declined to have him return due to his combativeness to staff members. The transcript documented the ED requested help from the hospital case managers to determine a proper disposition and to communicate with the resident's living facility. According to the transcript, Resident #2 would be discharged from the hospital but the hospital did not know where he would be discharged to. The involuntary discharge notice, dated 7/31/25, was provided by the NHA on 8/20/25 at 4:53 p.m. The discharge notice indicated Resident #2 would be discharged to the hospital effective 7/31/25. The notice documented the facility was pursuing immediate discharge of Resident #2 from the facility in the interest of his safety and wellness, as well as the safety and wellness of other residents who resided at the facility. According to the discharge notice, the facility determined that they were no longer able to provide the level of care that Resident #2 required due to his unsafe behavior of physical and verbal aggression. The involuntary discharge notice included the resident's right to appeal the discharge and the appeal process. V. InterviewsLicensed practical nurse (LPN) #1 was interviewed on 8/19/25 at 3:34 p.m. LPN #1 said staff tried to redirect residents with combative behaviors. She said if the behaviors continued, the facility would call an ambulance for assistance. She said Resident #2 was combative and was trying to leave the facility on 7/31/25. She said he was swinging at staff, was not redirectable and was not safe to be around the staff. LPN #1 said a certified nurse aide (CNA) told her Resident #2 went out the back door (on 7/31/25). LPN #1 said she caught up with him on the other side of the building. She said she and other staff members were following him and always had eyes on him. She said his pants were on backwards and he fell. She said he was assisted to a wheelchair but then he started to swing at them. LPN #1 said he punched her in the chest and another nurse in the stomach. She said they were able to bring him back inside the facility but he walked out of the facility again, walked around and then sat under a tree. She said Resident #2 refused to come back into the facility so they called EMS. LPN #1 said when he saw the ambulance approaching him, he started to walk away. She said when EMS approached him, he started to swing at them too. LPN #1 said she Resident #2 said he wanted to leave the facility when he was trying to hit the staff outside. She said he had additionally said he wanted to leave the facility the day before (7/30/25). LPN #1 said she contacted the ADON, the director of nursing (DON) and the NHA to report what happened. She said another nurse involved in the incident left a message for Resident #2's representative that he went to the hospital. LPN #1 said the representative called her back and asked why Resident #2 was sent to the hospital. She said she told the representative Resident #2 was aggressive with staff and they could not keep him at the facility. She said Resident #2 was no longer a resident at the facility.The hospital case manager was interviewed on 8/19/25 at 4:24 p.m. The hospital case manager said the facility contacted the hospital and said Resident #2 was having a psychotic episode and was violent towards a staff member. She said Resident #2 was pleasant at the hospital, had no behaviors and only required Tylenol. She said he had a sitter with him at the hospital related to his dementia and risk of him wandering off. She said he only needed to be redirected to where the restroom was. The hospital case manager said Resident #2 was calm, watched television, slept and went on walks with the sitter. The hospital case manager said a psychiatric team reviewed Resident #2 and felt he did not have a psychotic episode at the facility. She said the psychiatric team felt his behaviors were more dementia related. She said Resident #2 was medically cleared by the hospital physician to return to the facility. She said the hospital contacted the facility but the facility refused to accept him back because of his aggression towards a staff member. She said the facility told the hospital that the 7/31/25 incident with Resident #2 was the first time he had any related behaviors at the facility. The hospital case manager said she told the facility that with it only being the first incident and he was medically and psychologically cleared, they needed to take Resident #2 back. The hospital case manager said the facility did not notify the ombudsman or tell the resident's representative what happened. The hospital case manager said further communication with the facility was difficult because they kept passing off the phone to staff who said they did not know about the situation and were not there at the time so the hospital set up a conference call with the facility and the frequent facility visitor to discuss Resident #2's discharge. The hospital case manager said the facility continued to refuse Resident #2's return to the facility. She said the hospital had to find him another facility to go to. She said Resident #2 had to stay at the hospital for two to three more days until he was accepted by and transferred to another facility. A frequent facility visitor was interviewed on 8/20/25 at 12:05 p.m. The visitor said the facility left Resident #2 at the hospital and did not allow him to return to the facility. She said the facility told the resident's representative that he went to the hospital but the representative was not told why or that the resident would not be permitted to return to the facility. She said Resident #2 was confused, walked out of the facility and then fell on his buttocks without injury. The visitor said she went to the hospital to see Resident #2 on 7/31/25. She said she spoke with the resident and he said he went to the emergency department (ED) but he did not know why. She said he told her that the facility was not listening to him. The visitor said the hospital case managers told her the facility refused to take him back because they felt he was a danger to himself and others and the facility did not want their nurses in danger. The visitor said she contacted Resident #2's representative and he was very upset because he was only told that Resident #2 went to the hospital but he was not told why or that the resident would not be permitted to return to the facility. She said he had to find out what happened from the hospital and not the facility. The visitor said she was not provided a notice of discharge for Resident #2 until 8/1/25, two days after the facility refused to have him return, and after she had to continue to ask for it.Cross reference F628 for failure to provide an appropriate discharge process. The frequent facility visitor was interviewed again on 8/20/25 at 5:05 p.m. The visitor said she did not provide Resident #2's representative with the notice of discharge and the resident's appeal rights. She said the facility should have provided the representative with the notice and rights. The visitor said the representative did not contact her to help with the discharge appeal. The NHA and the ADON were interviewed together on 8/20/25 at 4:01 p.m. The NHA said the staff could not get Resident #2 back in the facility after he walked out the facility doors a second time on 7/31/25. She said he remained in line of sight of the staff while he was outside. The NHA said the staff sent Resident #2 to the hospital so the hospital could do a medical and psychiatric evaluation and review. She said the 7/31/25 incident occurred in the early morning and the ADON was the main contact with the facility staff at the time. The ADON said LPN #1 contacted her and told her Resident #2's behavior was escalating and he punched LPN #1 in the chest, LPN #2 in the stomach and tried to get away from them and Resident #2 fell. The ADON said she suggested removing the nurses involved and approaching the situation with a new face. She said a CNA offered a wheelchair to Resident #2. The ADON said the resident calmed down enough to bring him back into the facility. She said Resident #2 was placed at a table and offered coffee. She said moments later, the resident got up from the table and went out the door again. She said LPN #1 was able to stay with him. The ADON said Resident #2 walked to the other side of the facility and then across the parking lot to another neighboring property. She said Resident #2 would not deescalate, so staff called EMS for help. The NHA said the staff told her Resident #2 had to be restrained by the police and firemen. The ADON said the physician was contacted and the facility was provided with physician's orders to send Resident #2 to the hospital. The NHA said the facility did not reevaluate Resident #2 while he was at the hospital. The NHA said the facility did not review his records at the hospital. She said the frequent facility visitor went to the hospital to see Resident #2 and she said he was calm. She said a phone conference was set up with the hospital instead. The NHA said during the phone conference with the hospital and the frequent facility visitor on 7/31/25, the facility was told Resident #2 was stable and the hospital wanted the facility to take him back. The NHA said she made the decision not to have Resident #2 return to the facility because the hospital made no medication changes. She said the facility felt that Resident #2 had a psychotic break based on his severe behaviors on 7/31/25 and he became a different person. She said that the facility told the hospital that they were not prepared or equipped to deal with psychotic episodes. She said the behavior occurred so fast without any triggers with that type of dementia. The NHA said the facility could not meet Resident #2's needs if there was a chance his behaviors would escalate and be directed towards a resident. She said she did not feel safe taking Resident #2 back. The NHA said the hospital had a caregiver stay with the resident. She said a caregiver always being with Resident #2 was not an option at the facility. She said if the hospital had adjusted the resident's medication, she might have taken him back.The NHA said the facility did not send out referrals to other facilities when they determined that they were not going to take Resident #2 back. She said she did not send out referrals because she did not know what was wrong with him so she did not feel comfortable referring him to anyone else. The NHA said she did not know what triggered his behaviors on 7/31/25. She said Resident #2 did not have elopement, exit seeking or aggressive behaviors prior to 7/31/25. She said she was not aware that he had requested to leave the facility and go to the VA. She said his desire to leave the facility and go to the VA could have been a potential trigger to his behaviors on 7/31/25. The NHA said all residents were evaluated for elopement on admission so the facility could establish a baseline and risk. The NHA said the resident should have been assessed on admission and again after he reported a desire to leave the facility on 7/21/25. The NHA said if she knew Resident #2 was expressing that he wanted to leave, she would have spoken to his representative and explored why he wanted to go to the VA instead of remaining in the facility.The ADON said Resident #2 did not have an elopement assessment until after his attempt to elope on 7/31/25. The ADON said if the facility had known he had signs of wanting to leave, they would have looked at a safety plan.
CONCERN (D) 📢 Someone Reported This

A family member, employee, or ombudsman was alarmed enough to file a formal complaint

Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed

Deficiency F0628 (Tag F0628)

Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident

**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on record review and interviews, the facility failed to revise and implement an effective discharge plan for one (#2) of t...

Read full inspector narrative →
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on record review and interviews, the facility failed to revise and implement an effective discharge plan for one (#2) of three residents reviewed for discharge planning out of seven sample residents.Specifically, the facility failed to:-Ensure the discharge planning was process was documented, including the reason for discharge in Resident #2's electronic medical record (EMR); -Notify Resident #2 and/or Resident #2's representative, in writing, of the discharge, including the reason for the move, the effective date of discharge, the location where the resident was being discharged to, a statement of the resident's appeal rights and the name, address and telephone number of the office of the state long term care ombudsman; and,-Notify the facility's ombudsman of Resident #2's discharge in writing in a timely manner.Findings include: I. Facility policy and procedureThe Transfer or Discharge, Facility-Initiated policy, revised October 2022, was provided by the assistant director of nursing (ADON) on 8/21/25 at 11:31p.m. The policy read in pertinent part, Once admitted to the facility, residents have the right to remain in the facility. Facility initiated transfers and discharges, when necessary, must meet specific criteria and require resident/representative notification and orientation, and documentation as specified in this policy. Each resident will be permitted to remain in the facility and not be transferred or discharged unless;-The transfer discharge is necessary for the resident'swelfare and the resident's needs can not be met in this facility; and,-The safety of individuals in the facility is endangereddue to the clinical or behavioral status of the resident. Residents who are sent emergently to an acute care setting, these scenarios are considered facility-initiated transfers, not discharges, because the residents return is generally expected. Residents who are sent emergently to an acute care setting, such as a hospital, are permitted to return to the facility. If discharge is initiated by the facility after an emergent transfer to the hospital, the reason for the discharge is based on the resident status at the time the resident seeks to return to the facility and not at the time the resident was transferred to acute care. If the facility does not permit a resident's return to the facility based on the inability to meet the resident's needs, the facility will notify the resident, and or his or her representative in writing of the discharge, including notification of appeal rights. The facility will send a copy of the discharge notice to a representative of the Office of the State LTC Ombudsman. The notice of theOffice of the State LTC Ombudsman will occur at the same time the notice of discharge is provided to the resident and the resident representative. If the resident chooses to appeal the discharge, the facility will not discharge residents while the appeal is pending. Should a resident be transferred or discharged for any reason, the following information is communicated to the receiving facility or provider: The specific resident needs that can not be met; the facilities attempt to meet those needs; and, the receiving facilities services that are available to meet those needs. When a resident is transferred or discharged from the facility, the following information is documented in the medical record: the basis of the transfer of the discharge; if the resident is being transferred or discharged because of his or needs can not be met at the facility the documentation would include the specific resident needs that can not be met; the facility's attempt to meet those needs; the receiving facilities services that are available for those needs; That an appropriate notice was provided to the resident and/or legal representative; the date and the time of the transfer or discharge; the new location of the resident; the mode of transportation; a summary of the resident overall medical physical and mental condition. Should the resident be transferred or discharged for any of the following reasons, the basis of the transfer or discharge is documented in the resident's clinical record by the resident's attending physician. The transfer discharge is necessary for the resident's welfare and the resident's needs can not be met in the facility. Should the resident be transferred or discharged for any reasons the basis of the transfer discharge will be documented in the resident's clinical record by a physician, the safety of the individuals of the facilities endangered due to the clinical behavior status of the resident or the health of the individuals in the facility would otherwise be endangered. II. Resident status Resident #2, age greater than 65, was admitted on [DATE] and discharged to the hospital on 7/31/25. According to the August 2025 computerized physician orders (CPO), diagnoses included non-traumatic acute subdural hemorrhage, reduced mobility, mild cognitive impairment of uncertain or unknown etiology, repeated falls, need for assistance with personal care, unspecified lack of coordination and generalized muscle weakness. The 7/15/25 minimum data set (MDS) assessment identified Resident #2 was cognitively intact with a brief interview for mental status (BIMS) score of 15 out of 15. The MDS assessment indicated the resident required partial to moderate physical assistance for transferring from surface to surface, bed mobility and walking. The MDS assessment documented Resident #2 used a motorized wheelchair. III. Resident representative interview Resident #2's representative was interviewed on 8/20/25 at 5:10 p.m. The representative said Resident #2 was initially admitted to the facility from the hospital after a fall, for therapy and long-term placement. He said Resident #2 was sent back to the hospital two weeks later. He said he was told that Resident #2 was sent to the hospital related to a fall at the facility. He said he later learned that the facility felt Resident #2 had a psychotic episode. He said Resident #2 was not evaluated by his physician before the facility determined he had a psychotic episode and sent him out. He said he felt the facility dumped him at the hospital. The representative said the hospital and the facility had a conference together that he was not invited to. He said he was then informed by the hospital that the facility was not going to allow Resident #2 to return to the facility and it was inappropriate for them to not allow him to return. The representative said he was never provided a notice of discharge or information on the discharge appeal process. He said he was never told that he could try to appeal the facility's decision. He said he just knew that Resident #2 was not welcome back at the facility. The representative said he was never recommended or referred to other facilities. He said Resident #2 was currently at another facility and had not had any problems there. IV. Record reviewThe discharge care plan, initiated 7/29/25, identified Resident #2 was a long-term care resident with no intent to discharge. Interventions, initiated 7/29/25,included providing local agencyreferrals as appropriate when the resident/responsible party asked aboutdischarge and waiting for the resident/responsible party to initiateconversation regarding discharge.The 7/21/25 nursing progress note documented Resident #2 was near the back door and requested to walk to the Veterans Affairs facility (VA) or just go for a walk around. The note identified he was upset that he was at his current facility and wanted to go to the VA. According to the note, the resident was redirected back to his room. He told the staff he would try to contact the VA to come and get him. The note indicated Resident #2 was told why he was in nursing care and he voiced understanding.The admission/discharge report was provided by the nursing home administrator (NHA) on 8/19/25 at approximately 11:00 am. The report indicated Resident #2 discharged to the hospital on 7/31/25. The report did not identify if he returned to the facility. The 7/31/25 administration progress note documented Resident #2 was at the hospital. -Review of progress notes did not identify why the resident went to the hospital or incidents occurring on or before 7/31/25 which required hospitalization. -Review of progress notes did not indicate that Resident #2 had been formally discharged from the facility on 7/31/25. The 7/31/25 at 6:35 a.m. incident report for elopement was provided by the NHA on 8/20/25 at 4:35 p.m. The report documented Resident #2 eloped by using the door at the end of the hall. According to the report, the staff ran after the resident, attempting to coax him back inside. Resident #2 ran, fell and became violent. The risk assessment indicated he started to swing at anyone who tried to stop him. The report identified the resident was placed in a chair and wheeled backwards inside the facility while he attempted to hit and bite staff. The assessment revealed the resident was able to go out the same door again. The staff followed the resident, contacted his physician and requested a physician's order to send the resident out to the hospital. The assessment identified Resident #2 remained calm as long as the staff did not approach him or attempt to bring him back into the facility. The 7/31/25 hospital final transcript documented Resident #2 was brought to the emergency department (ED) by emergency medical services (EMS) for a possible fall at his living facility and he was somewhat combative with them in the morning (7/31/25). According to the transcript, EMS reported to the hospital that Resident #2 was fine with them. The transcript identified Resident #2 arrived at the hospital without complaints or signs of trauma on exam and likely had some behavioral issues and dementia and may or may not have fallen. The transcript revealed there did not appear to be evidence of an acute emergency condition that would necessitate hospitalization or suggest a need for immediate inpatient treatment given their lack of red flags for serious illness and he remained stable in the emergency department. The hospital transcript revealed the hospital attempted to transfer Resident #2 back to his living facility but the facility declined to have him return due to his combativeness to staff members. The transcript documented the ED requested help from the hospital case managers to determine a proper disposition and to communicate with the resident's living facility. According to the transcript, Resident #2 would be discharged from the hospital but the hospital did not know where he would be discharged to.Cross reference F627 for failure to allow a resident to return to the facility.The involuntary discharge notice, dated 7/31/25, was provided by the NHA on 8/20/25 at 4:53 p.m. The discharge notice indicated Resident #2 would be discharged to the hospital effective 7/31/25. The notice documented the facility was pursuing immediate discharge of Resident #2 from the facility in the interest of his safety and wellness, as well as the safety and wellness of other residents who resided at the facility. According to the discharge notice, the facility determined that they were no longer able to provide the level of care that Resident #2 required due to his unsafe behavior of physical and verbal aggression. The involuntary discharge notice included the resident's right to appeal the discharge and the appeal process.-However, a review of Resident #2's EMR did not reveal documentation to indicate the resident or the resident's representative was notified of the discharge in writing, including the reason for the move, the effective date of discharge, the location where the resident was discharged to, a statement of the resident's appeal rights and the name, address and telephone number of the office of the state long term care ombudsman. -A review of Resident #2's EMR did not reveal the ombudsman was notified of the resident's discharge in writing in a timely manner (see frequent facility visitor interview below). V. InterviewsA frequent facility visitor was interviewed on 8/20/25 at 12:05 p.m. The visitor said the facility left Resident #2 at the hospital and did not allow him to return to the facility. She said the facility told the resident's representative that he went to the hospital but the representative was not told why or that the resident would not be permitted to return to the facility. She said Resident #2 was confused, walked out of the facility and then fell on his buttocks without injury. The visitor said she went to the hospital to see Resident #2 on 7/31/25. She said she spoke with the resident and he said he went to the emergency department (ED) but he did not know why. She said he told her that the facility was not listening to him. The visitor said the hospital case managers told her the facility refused to take him back because they felt he was a danger to himself and others and the facility did not want their nurses in danger.The visitor said she contacted Resident #2's representative and he was very upset because he was only told that Resident #2 went to the hospital but he was not told why or that he would not be permitted to return to the facility. She said he had to find out what happened from the hospital and not the facility. She said she was not provided a notice of discharge for Resident #2 until 8/1/25, two days after the facility refused to allow him to return to the facility, and after she had to continue to ask for the notice. The frequent facility visitor was interviewed again on 8/20/25 at 5:05 p.m. The visitor said she did not provide Resident #2's representative with the notice of discharge and the resident's appeal rights. She said the facility should have provided the representative with the notice and rights. The visitor said the representative did not contact her to help with the discharge appeal.The NHA and the assistant director of nursing (ADON) were interviewed together on 8/20/25 at 4:01 p.m. The NHA said the facility did not reevaluate Resident #2 while he was at the hospital. The NHA said she made the decision not to allow Resident #2 to return to the facility because the hospital made no medication changes. She said the facility felt that he had a psychotic break based on his severe behaviors on 7/31/25 and he became a different person. She said that the facility told the hospital that they were not prepared or equipped to deal with residents' psychotic episodes. She said the behavior occurred so fast without any triggers with that type of dementia. The NHA said the facility could not meet Resident #2's needs if there was a chance his behaviors would escalate and be directed towards another resident. She said she did not feel safe taking Resident #2 back.The ADON said the discharge notice was emailed to the frequent facility visitor on 8/1/25 at 1:32 p.m. The ADON said the frequent facility's visitor and the hospital told Resident #2's representative that Resident #2 was not coming back to the facility. The ADON said she did not know if the frequent facility visitor provided the resident's representative with the discharge notice or information on the appeal process. The ADON said the facility did not provide the resident or the resident's representative with the discharge notice or the rights to appeal the discharge. The NHA said Resident #2's representative did not request to appeal the discharge. She said he came to the facility and collected the resident's belongings but did not say anything about an appeal. The NHA said the discharge of Resident #2 was emergent and the frequent facility visitor was involved, so it was assumed that the frequent facility visitor provided the representative with the notice and appeal rights. She said it was not the responsibility or normal practice for the frequent visitor to give the notice.The NHA said the facility should not have assumed the representative was already given the notices and appeal rights. The NHA said she wanted to make sure Resident #2's representative knew his appeal rights. The NHA said she would make sure the resident's representative received the discharge notice and the rights to appeal.The ADON said she would send out the discharge notice and the rights to appeal process overnight (on 8/20/25).VI. Facility follow-up The ADON provided a priority overnight mail receipt for Resident #2's discharge notice and appeal rights on 8/21/25 at 10:50 a.m. According to the receipt, the discharge notice and appeal rights were to be delivered to Resident #2's representative on 8/22/25 (22 days after the resident was discharged from the facility).
Apr 2025 1 deficiency
CONCERN (D) 📢 Someone Reported This

A family member, employee, or ombudsman was alarmed enough to file a formal complaint

Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed

Deficiency F0573 (Tag F0573)

Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident

Based on record review and interviews, the facility failed to ensure a copy of medical records were provided in a timely manner for one (#1) of three residents out of five sample residents. Specifical...

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Based on record review and interviews, the facility failed to ensure a copy of medical records were provided in a timely manner for one (#1) of three residents out of five sample residents. Specifically, the facility failed to ensure medical records were provided in a timely manner upon request for Resident #1 from his resident representative. Findings include: I. Facility policy and procedure The Release of Information policy, revised November 2009, was provided by the nursing home administrator (NHA) on 4/24/25 at 1:10 p.m. It read in pertinent part, The resident may initiate a request to release such information contained in his/her records and charts to anyone he/she wishes. Such requests will be honored only upon the receipt of a written, signed and dated request from the resident or representative. A resident may have access to his or her records within ____ hours (excluding weekends or holidays) of the resident's written or oral request. -The facility did not indicate on the policy how many hours the facility had to provide the requested medical records. II. Resident representative interview Resident #1's representative was interviewed on 4/23/25 at 3:45 p.m. via phone. She said she requested Resident #1's medical records from the facility in February 2025 after he passed away. She said she did not receive the records for over two weeks. III. Record review The request for access to health information was provided by the medical records director (MRD) on 4/24/25 at 11:30 a.m. The form was completed by Resident #1's representative on 2/24/25 at 3:30 p.m. The form revealed the resident's representative received the records on 3/13/25 at 11:58 a.m. -The representative did not receive the medical records for 12 weekdays after she requested them. IV. Staff interviews The MRD was interviewed on 4/24/25 at 10:20 a.m. The MRD said she did not know the time frame the facility had to provide the resident or the representative with the medical records after they were requested. She said Resident #1's medical durable power of attorney (MDPOA) requested his medical records on 2/24/25. She said the records were released to the MDPOA on 3/13/25. She said the process was to send the records to the facility's attorney and once the okay was given, the records were released to the resident or representative. The MRD said this request took a little longer because the facility had a hard time reaching the attorney because the phone number had changed. The MRD said she tried to complete medical record requests as fast as possible but did not know it needed to be completed within 24 hours except when requested on a weekend or holiday. The nursing home administrator (NHA) was interviewed on 4/24/25 at 1:50 p.m. She said she was not sure what the facility's policy indicated the time line the facility needed to provide medical records upon request. The NHA said she thought the facility had 72 hours to provide the medical records when they were requested by the resident or representative. The NHA said the facility would review the policy to ensure it matched the regulation.
Mar 2025 1 deficiency
CONCERN (E) 📢 Someone Reported This

A family member, employee, or ombudsman was alarmed enough to file a formal complaint

Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed

Free from Abuse/Neglect (Tag F0600)

Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents

**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observations, record review and interviews, the facility failed to ensure three (#1, #8 and #6) of three residents were...

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**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observations, record review and interviews, the facility failed to ensure three (#1, #8 and #6) of three residents were kept free from abuse out of nine sample residents. Specifically, the facility failed to: -Protect Resident #1 and Resident #8 from being sexually abused by Resident #2; and, -Protect Resident #6 from physical abuse by Resident #5. Findings include: I. Facility policy and procedure The Abuse Prevention, Investigation and Reporting policy and procedure, revised November 2022, was provided by the nursing home administrator (NHA) on 3/11/25 at 5:14 p.m. It read in pertinent part, To ensure to the extent possible, that every resident is free from abuse, neglect, misappropriation of resident property, and exploitation. The resident has the right to be free from abuse (including verbal, mental, sexual and physical), neglect, misappropriation of resident property and exploitation. This includes freedom from corporal punishment, involuntary seclusion and any physical or chemical restraint not required to treat a resident's medical condition. Management will take specific steps to reduce the potential for abuse to occur at the facility including, but not limited to education, monitoring and investigating thoroughly if abuse, misappropriation, neglect, or exploitation is suspected. Sexual abuse includes, but is not limited to sexual harassment, sexual coercion, or sexual assault. Physical abuse includes, but is not limited to, hitting, slapping, pinching and kicking. It also includes controlling behavior through corporal punishment. The admissions coordinator will do a pre-assessment on all potential admissions to see if there is a history of abusive behavior. If any potential admission has a history of abusive behavior, the admissions coordinator will notify the administrator and/or the director of nursing services. The administrator will make the final determination on whether or not to admit, upon consultation with the director of nursing services and/or other appropriate personnel. The facility will conduct assessment, care planning and monitoring of residents with needs and behaviors which might lead to conflict or neglect including self-injurious behaviors. Resident to resident incident: The abusive resident will be separated from other residents for a limited period as a therapeutic intervention to reduce agitation and potential for harm and ensure the safety of other residents. Other interventions will also be considered to include, but not limited to, family assistance, change of roommates, physician review of appropriate medication(s), consult with psychology, and other interventions as outlined in the resident's person-centered plan of care. II. Sexual abuse of Resident #1 and Resident #8 by Resident #2 A. Facility investigation for sexual abuse of Resident #1 by Resident #2 on 12/18/24 The facility investigation, dated 12/18/24, documented at approximately 1:15 p.m. revealed Resident #1 was walking throughout the facility. Resident #2 invited Resident #1 into his room and closed the door. It was not normal behavior for Resident #2 to want his door closed so the staff followed them into the room. Upon opening the door, the staff member saw Resident #2 had his hand on Resident #1's crotch, over her clothing. The staff member was able to separate the two residents. Resident #1 was tearful after the event but she was not able to explain her emotions to staff due to her severely impaired cognition. The investigation documented Resident #1 was assisted back to her hallway. Resident #2 and Resident #1 were both placed on line-of-sight supervision and both residents were to be redirected from interacting with each other. Resident #1 was encouraged to participate in activities programming to prevent unsafe wandering. The interim social services director (ISSD) interviewed Resident #2 on 12/19/24. Resident #2 was defensive about the incident. He initially said he ignored Resident #1 and she was not in his room. Resident #2 was educated that Resident #1 was not able to consent to engage in sexual intimacy. Resident #2 responded by telling the ISSD that Resident #1 understood more than she let on and that he felt sorry for her when she was crying. The ISSD educated Resident #2 that his behavior was unacceptable and was not to continue. The ISSD interviewed certified nurse aide (CNA) #2 on 12/19/24. CNA #2 said she had witnessed Resident #2 inviting other female residents into his room on several prior occasions. CNA #2 said she was uncomfortable when she observed him inviting Resident #1 into his room and shutting the door. The facility substantiated the allegation of sexual abuse. B. Facility investigation for sexual abuse of Resident #8 and Resident #1 by Resident #2 on 2/22/25 The facility investigation, dated 2/22/25 documented at 1:09 p.m., revealed Resident #2 was self-propelling in his wheelchair in the common area hallway when he approached Resident #8, who was sitting in the hall in her wheelchair. The investigation documented it appeared that the residents were having a conversation. As staff approached, it was noted that Resident #2 had his hand on Resident #8's thigh and was moving his hand towards her inner thigh. Resident #8 said, No, stop! and motioned for Resident #2 to move his hand. The CNA told Resident #2 to stop and Resident #2 left the area. -Interviews later in the day revealed that the CNA who intervened in the 1:30 p.m. incident with Resident #8 did not report the incident until being questioned after the second similar incident with Resident #1 occurred at 5:30 p.m. (see below). -There was no documentation in the investigation report indicating that either resident was interviewed about the details of the incident. The second facility investigation, dated 2/22/25, documented at 5:30 p.m. Resident #1 was walking near the nurse's station and Resident #2 was self-propelling in his wheelchair behind Resident #1. As Resident #1 got closer to Resident #2 he reached out and placed his hand on the back of Resident #1's thigh and began to move his hand higher up her thigh. Resident #1 turned and tried to swat his hand away. The investigation documented her action of trying to swat his hand away did not stop him from his actions. A nearby CNA had to intervene and remove Resident #2's hand from Resident #1's leg before he was able to move his hand to her private areas. The residents were separated. The CNA took Resident #1 to a safe area and a second CNA took Resident #2 to another location. The investigation revealed Resident #1 was very tearful after the incident. The staff were unsure if the tearfulness was due to the incident or due to her baseline of having tearfulness on and off. -There was no documentation that the facility assessed Resident #1's level of tearfulness throughout the day to determine if she was more tearful than usual following the incident. -Despite Resident #2 being placed on 15-minute checks when out of his room, he was able to sexually abuse two female residents in the common area of the facility on the same day (see Resident #2's care plan below). C. Resident #1 - victim 1. Resident status Resident #1, age [AGE], was admitted on [DATE]. According to the March 2025 computerized physician orders (CPO), diagnoses included Alzheimer's disease, dementia with severe mood disturbance and depression. According to the 2/12/25 minimum data set (MDS) assessment, Resident #1 was unable to complete the brief interview for mental status (BIMS). The staff assessment revealed she had short-term and long-term memory deficits. The staff assessment further revealed she was severely impaired in her daily decision-making and that she had difficulty focusing her attention and was disorganized with her thinking. The MDS assessment documented that Resident #1 did not wander and could ambulate independently but needed staff assistance with most of her activities of daily living (ADL). -However, interviews and further record review revealed Resident #1 did wander (see interviews and record review below). 2. Resident #1's representative interview Resident #1's representative was interviewed on 3/10/25 at 3:20 p.m. The representative said the facility did tell him the inappropriate touching had happened twice. He said the facility was trying to keep an eye on both of the residents. 3. Observations During a continuous observation on 3/10/25, beginning at 3:45 p.m. and ending 4:36 p.m., the following was observed: At approximately 3:45 p.m. Resident #1 walked past Resident #2 in his hallway, but there was no interaction between the two residents. Resident #1 stopped to talk with other residents as she wandered the hall and then walked back up the hall to another resident unit without direct staff supervision or interaction. At 4:07 p.m. Resident #1 was sitting in a recliner in the common area eating a sucker. At 4:11 p.m. Resident #1 was sitting in a recliner in the common area with her eyes closed. At 4:21 p.m. Resident #1 was sitting in a recliner in the common area with her eyes closed. At 4:28 p.m. Resident #1 was walking around in the common area, she would stop at the nurse's station. The staff did not acknowledge her. At 4:32 p.m. Resident #1 was touching an unidentified male resident on his arm. She then placed her arm under and around his arm to walk arm and arm with him while he was walking. The social services assistant (SSA) was working with the male resident. -The SSA did not offer any prompting or cueing to Resident #1 to ensure she did not place herself in a vulnerable position while interacting with the male resident. At 4:36 p.m. Resident #1 was wandering around the nurse's station, the nurses did not acknowledge her. On 3/11/25 at 2:35 p.m. Resident #1 was wandering around the hallways and front lobby. There were no staff present. She wandered into the administrative offices and one of the administrative staff escorted her back to the nurse's station. -The staff failed to follow the interventions on Resident #1's care plan to monitor her wandering and offer meaningful activities or socialization to ensure a safe comfortable environment. 4. Record review The behavior care plan, revised on 10/28/24, documented Resident #1 had the potential for wandering and exit seeking. The care plan documented a wander guard was placed as a precautionary measure. The interventions included distracting the resident from wandering by offering pleasant diversions, structured activities, food, conversation, television or books, identifying patterns in her wandering and monitoring that the wander guard was functioning properly. The risk for wandering/elopement care plan, revised on 12/9/24, documented Resident #1 engaged in unsafe wandering. Pertinent interventions included staff were to engage the resident in purposeful activities, guide the resident to the recliners (but were not to put the footrest up due to her wandering) and schedule a time for regular walks. Review of Resident #1's electronic medical record (EMR) revealed that her behaviors were to be monitored. -However, the resident's EMR did not document her wandering activity or any efforts to provide meaningful activity. -Additionally, observations throughout the survey (3/10/25 to 3/13/25) revealed Resident #1 continuously wandered up and down the hallways off of the main nursing station (see observations above). The social services note, dated 11/11/24, documented that staff called Resident #1's representative about Resident #1 engaging in a kiss with Resident #2. It documented that due to Resident #1's cognitive state, the facility would be monitoring the situation closely. D. Resident #8 -victim 1. Resident status Resident #8, age greater than 65, was admitted on [DATE]. According to the March 2025 CPO, diagnoses included Alzheimer's disease, dementia with psychotic disturbance and depressive episodes. The 12/20/24 MDS assessment revealed the resident had moderate cognitive impairments with a BIMS score of 10 out of 15. The assessment revealed Resident #8 needed partial to moderate assistance with most of her ADLs. She used a wheelchair and was able to self-propel herself. 2. Record review The wandering behavior care plan, revised on 10/28/24, revealed Resident #8 had the potential to be verbally aggressive with staff and had the potential for delusional episodes. The care plan revealed that she wandered into other hallways and other resident's rooms and that her behavior may impact her behaviors. Interventions included monitoring the resident's behaviors, redirecting the resident with positive conversations and notifying the physician of increased behaviors. -A review of the resident's EMR did not reveal documentation regarding the 2/22/25 incident of sexual abuse with Resident #2. E. Resident #2 - assailant 1A. Resident status Resident #2, age greater than 65, was admitted on [DATE]. According to the March 2025 CPO, diagnoses included cerebrovascular disease (stroke), Alzheimer's disease and diabetes. The 1/3/25 MDS assessment revealed Resident #2 had moderate cognitive impairments with a BIMS score of 12 out of 15. The assessment revealed Resident #2 needed supervision or minimal assistance with most of his ADLs. The assessment revealed he used his wheelchair but was able to self-propel on his own. The assessment indicated that Resident #2 did not display inappropriate behaviors. -However, record review and interviews revealed that Resident #2 displayed sexually inappropriate behaviors on 12/18/25, prior to the assessment. 2. Record review The behavior care plan, revised 12/26/24 and 1/17/25, documented Resident #2 was at risk for potential sexual advances toward others. Interventions included discussing the resident's behavior with the resident, reinforcing why the behavior was inappropriate, diverting other residents from wandering or entering Resident #2's room and intervening, as appropriate, to protect the rights and safety of others. -The care plan was not initiated until a week after the 12/18/24 incident with Resident #1. Review of Resident #2's EMR revealed that his behaviors were being monitored. -However, the behavior monitoring did not document that he was sexually inappropriate on 2/22/25. The behavior monitoring (reviewed from 2/10/25 to 3/10/25) further revealed that the monitoring was not being done consistently. Several shifts and entire days lacked documentation of any potential behaviors or absence of behavior. The 11/11/24 social services note documented that Resident #2 had kissed a female resident. After the incident was observed, social services staff met with Resident #2 to provide education that his behavior was inappropriate because the female resident (Resident #1) was considered a vulnerable person and unable to engage in intimate relationships. The 11/13/24 nursing note documented that Resident #2 placed his hand on Resident #1's leg while she was walking and that she almost fell due to his touching. The note documented that he was instructed to avoid Resident #1 and to stop touching her. -Neither of the above incidents resulted in a care plan focused on interventions to address Resident #2's inappropriate sexual behavior towards a resident who was assessed to be unable to consent to sexual intimacy. The resident's care plan was not revised until after the 12/18/24 incident (see above). The 12/18/24 nursing note documented that Resident #1 was found in Resident #2's room and Resident #2 was touching Resident #1 inappropriately. The note documented that Resident #2 received education on keeping his hands to himself and that he told staff he understood the education. -Review of Resident #2's EMR failed to reveal documentation related to the incident on 2/22/25. An email, dated 2/23/25, was provided by the NHA on 3/11/25. The email documented communication between the facility leadership team and Resident #2's physician's office. The email revealed that the facility initiated a request for assistance to find a more appropriate placement for Resident #2 in the interest of keeping the female residents in the facility safe. The 3/4/25 social services note documented that Resident #2's representative and Resident #2 were both informed that Resident #2 was being issued a 30-day discharge notice due to his continued inappropriate sexual behavior towards female residents in the facility. -Review of Resident #2's EMR revealed Resident #2 was educated that Resident #1 was unable to engage in any type of intimate relationship and he was instructed to not pursue any type of intimate relationship with Resident #1. E. Staff interviews Registered nurse (RN) #2 was interviewed on 3/10/25 at 3:45 p.m. RN #2 said Resident #1's physician stopped her olanzapine on 3/4/25, which made her more tearful due to the lack of medications. She said Resident #1 wandered unsafely into other resident's rooms and tried to exit the facility to the outside so the staff kept an eye on her because she wandered into another resident's rooms and had gotten taken advantage of in the past. CNA #1 was interviewed on 3/11/25 at 9:00 a.m. CNA #1 said the staff were expected to monitor all residents with wandering behaviors, especially if the resident wandered off the unit. She said Resident #1 liked to wander and did not spend a lot of time in her room. CNA #1 said staff watched Resident #1 because she liked to go into other residents' rooms and tried to use their bathrooms. She said they had to watch Resident #1 when she was near Resident #2's room but that he was on 15-minute checks and was supposed to be in staff's line of sight when he was out of his room to ensure he did not interact inappropriately with Resident #1. CNA #1 said staff specifically watched for Resident #2's interactions with Resident #1 and Resident #8 since he had been sexually inappropriate with both of them. The SSA was interviewed on 3/11/25 at 11:30 a.m. The SSA said she was unaware of the incidents of inappropriate touching that occurred between Resident #1 and Resident #2. She said she did not know that staff were to monitor Resident #1 to ensure she was kept safe. The assistant nursing home administrator (ANHA) was interviewed on 3/11/25 at 4:37 p.m. The ANHA said Resident #2 was put on ongoing line of sight monitoring when he was out of his room after the 12/18/24 incident (see above). She said all staff were responsible for taking part in monitoring the resident, regardless of discipline, to make sure he did not engage in inappropriate behavior with other residents. The ANHA said Resident #2's daughter took him out to lunch after she was informed of the 12/18/24 incident (see above) and talked to Resident #2 about his behavior and told him that he could not be touching female residents. The ANHA said the resident's representative told the ANHA she believed Resident #2 clearly understood that he was not to touch a female. The ANHA said she also believed that Resident #2 understood the education he was provided because someone from adult protection services (APS) came and spoke with him and also told him he could not touch female residents who were unable to consent to the activity. The ANHA said Resident #2 told the staff, his representative and the APS worker that he understood and would stay away from the female resident he was instructed to stay away from. The ANHA said Resident #2 was issued a 30-day discharge notice because the resident continued to display inappropriate sexual behaviors and they were not able to keep the other residents safe with him in the building. The ANHA said the facility was working closely with the resident's physician's office and other outside providers to secure more appropriate living arrangements for Resident #2. III. Incident of physical abuse between Resident #5 and Resident #6 on 1/21/25 A. Facility investigation The 1/21/25 abuse investigation documented a witnessed resident-to-resident physical altercation occurred on 1/21/25 between Resident #5 and Resident #6. The staff observed Resident #5 and Resident #6 in the common area. Resident #5 lunged at Resident #6 and struck Resident #6 across the face with a piece of duct tape that was folded over upon itself. Resident #6 yelled and attempted to use a reacher (assistive device) to hit Resident #5 with no further contact made between residents. The staff separated the two residents. The staff had to physically remove and prevent Resident #5 from the continued act of physical aggression toward Resident #6. Resident #6 was assisted out of the common area and assessed for injuries. Resident #5 remained combative and attempted to hit and kick staff. Additional staff members surrounded Resident #5 to protect other residents in the area from being targeted by Resident #5. Other additional staff escorted onlooking residents and visitors out of the common area. Resident #5 sat in his wheelchair at the nurse's station while staff tried to calm him down. Staff called the resident's physician and received an order to to transport Resident #5 to the hospital for evaluation. Resident #5 was given an immediate discharge from the facility due to the inability of the facility to be able to meet the resident's behavioral health needs and keep the other residents in the facility safe from physical abuse. The facility's investigation of the incident included an interview with Resident #6. Resident #6 said he was hit with a piece of folded tape and no other contact occurred. Resident #6 said he was angry with Resident #5 after the incident. The facility investigation also interviewed other residents living in the same hall as Resident #5. The other residents on the hall said Resident #5 seemed very confused and was hard to communicate with. B. Resident #6 - victim 1. Resident status Resident #6, age greater than 65, was admitted on [DATE]. According to the March 2025 CPO, diagnoses included stroke and dementia. The 11/25/24 MDS assessment revealed the resident was cognitively intact with a BIMS score of 15 out of 15. He used a wheelchair for mobility and was dependent on staff to complete toileting and transfers. He required substantial/maximal assistance with bathing and dressing. 2. Record review -Review of Resident #6's EMR did not reveal documentation regarding the incident with Resident #5 on 1/21/25. Resident #6's Kardex (staff directive tool) directed staff to remove the resident to a calm safe environment and allow him to vent and share his feelings when conflict arose. Review of the comprehensive care plan, revised on 12/24/24, revealed Resident #6 had the potential for impaired psychosocial well-being and/or adjustment problems and may be at increased risk for alteration in psychosocial well-being related to continued adjustments to infection control protocol. The care plan documented he had difficulty adjusting to change and could be accusatory. It further documented that English was not his primary language. Interventions included redirecting the resident to a calm, safe environment when conflict arose and allowing him to vent/share feelings. C. Resident #5 - assailant 1. Resident status Resident #5, age greater than 65, was admitted on [DATE] and discharged to the hospital on 1/21/25. According to the January 2025 CPO, diagnoses included dementia with behavioral disturbance. The 1/21/25 MDS assessment revealed tResident #5 had short-term and long-term memory deficits and disorganized thinking per staff assessment. The resident sometimes was able to effectively express himself with verbal and non verbal expressions and sometimes understood simple direct communication. The MDS assessment indicated the resident had threatening physical and verbal behavior directed at others, wandering, and delusions. He was dependent with eating and oral hygiene and required some assistance with dressing, bathing and toileting. 2. Record review The 1/15/25 pre-admission referral documented Resident #5's spouse expressed concerns with Resident #5 having intermittent behavior outbursts at home. It documented concerns from the resident's adult daycare revealing that the resident was presenting with increasing behavioral aggression, including pushing a staff member and squeezing his spouse's arm when he did not get what he wanted. Resident #5's baseline care plan, initiated 1/18/25, documented the resident was cognitively impaired. He was unable to understand staff and was unable to communicate easily with staff. The resident was independent with mobility tasks but needed assistance with dressing and grooming. The nursing note, dated 1/21/25 at 5:35 p.m., documented Resident #5 had a change in behavior when he physically assaulted another male resident by hitting him in the face with a strip of folded-up duck tape. The staff were unable to redirect and calm the resident's aggressions so he was discharged to the hospital due to unmanaged aggressive behavior. The note documented since admission, verbal and physical aggression toward other residents and staff had been noted several times. He injured a staff member and was physically combative with another, requiring staff intervention and separation from other residents for their safety. The resident had entered other residents' rooms multiple times, sometimes taking possessions with him upon exiting. At times he entered other residents' rooms and undressed and redressed wearing another resident's clothes. He had physically touched other residents and woke them up from their sleep. Resident #5 lacked understanding and was unable to follow directions or comply with instructions. Resident #5 wandered frequently and had to be redirected several times from heading out an exit door. A wanderguard bracelet was placed on his arm to alert staff of his exit-seeking. The note documented that the resident's spouse said she was afraid of Resident #5 because he had become more paranoid and aggressive toward family members so she was expecting him to be aggressive while at the facility. The nursing note, dated 1/21/25 at 5:29 p.m., documented that at approximately 4:45 p.m., Resident #5 was observed leaning over Resident #6 hitting him with a folded-up piece of duct tape. Resident #5 did not respond to instructions from staff to stop hitting Resident #6. RN #1 had to physically hold and pull Resident #5 away from Resident #6 to stop the assault. The note further documented that when Resident #5 was pulled off of Resident #6, Resident #5 proceeded to stomp and kick the staff. RN #1 held Resident #5's hands so he could not scratch at those near him. RN #1 then placed the resident on the floor and sat behind him so he could hold on to the resident and not get injured while the resident calmed down. Once Resident #5 calmed down, nursing staff assisted him into a wheelchair. Emergency medical services (EMS) and the police were called and the resident was taken to the hospital for evaluation and treatment. D. Staff interviews RN #1 was interviewed on 3/11/25 at 2:00 pm. RN #1 said Resident #5 was confused and aggressive toward staff since he was admitted to the facility. RN #1 said he provided care to Resident #5 on multiple shifts and he was difficult to redirect. RN #1 said Resident #5's aggressive behaviors included verbal threats as well as physical aggression, such as hitting, kicking and pushing staff. RN #1 said on the day of the incident, 1/21/25, he saw Resident #5 pull tape off of the carpet in the hall that was placed there to keep and remind Resident #5 to stay away from another resident's room which he frequently wandered into. RN #1 said when he saw the resident tearing up the tape, he tried to redirect Resident #5, but the resident only became more agitated than he already was and did not follow cues to stop. RN #1 said he went down the hall to inform maintenance that the tape would need to be replaced. He said he heard a commotion and he observed Resident #5 leaning over Resident #6 and he appeared to be hitting Resident #6 repeatedly. He said he responded and separated the residents. He said he told Resident #5 that if did not stop hitting Resident #6 he would pull him away from Resident #6. RN #1 said when Resident #5 did not respond to verbal cues, he felt he was forced to separate the residents physically while the CNA removed Resident #6 from the common area for his safety. RN #1 said additional staff came quickly and got Resident #5 into a wheelchair and he stayed with Resident #5 in the nurse's station until EMS arrived. RN #1 said he was not aware if staff were informed of Resident # 5's aggressive behavior when he was admitted , but Resident #5 was aggressive towards others from the start of his admission. The ANHA was interviewed on 3/11/25 at 4:37 p.m. The ANHA said a staff member was dedicated to screening and coordinating referrals for new residents. She said the facility did not receive the referral for Resident #5 until they had already accepted him. She said the staff were notified of the needs of new residents, including behaviors, in the electronic charting system and a physical report sheet. She said that sometimes the facility did not find out about a resident's behavioral issues until after they were admitted to the facility.
Apr 2024 12 deficiencies
CONCERN (D)

Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed

Resident Rights (Tag F0550)

Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident

**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observations, interviews and record review, the facility failed to ensure care for residents in a manner and in an envi...

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**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observations, interviews and record review, the facility failed to ensure care for residents in a manner and in an environment that maintains or enhances each resident's dignity and respect, in full recognition of his or her individuality for two (#186 and #193) of three residents reviewed for respect and dignity out of 38 sample residents. Specifically, the facility failed to: -Ensure Resident #186 had privacy when she slept in a shirt and briefs; and, -Ensure staff answered Resident #193's call light timely to prevent the resident from experiencing an incontinent episode. Findings include: I. Resident #186 A. Facility policy The Confidentiality of Information and Personal Privacy policy, revised October 2017, was provided by the nursing home administrator (NHA) on 4/11/24 at 8:27 p.m. It read in pertinent, Our facility will protect and safeguard resident confidentiality and personal privacy. The facility will strive to protect the resident's privacy regarding his or her accommodations, medical treatment and personal care. The Dignity policy, revised February 2021, was provided by the NHA on 4/11/24 at 8:27 p.m. It read in pertinent part,Each resident shall be cared for in a manner that promotes and enhances his or her sense of well-being, level of satisfaction with life and feelings of self-worth and self-esteem. Residents are treated with dignity and respect at all times. When assisting with care, residents are supported in exercising their rights. For example residents are: groomed as they wish to be groomed, encouraged to attend the activities of their choice, including religious, political, civic, recreational or social activities, encouraged to dress in clothing that they prefer, allowed to choose when to sleep, eat and conduct activities of daily living (ADLs), and, provided with a dignified dining experience. Staff promote, maintain and protect resident privacy, including bodily privacy during assistance with personal care and during treatment procedures. B. Resident status Resident #186, over the age of 65, was admitted on [DATE]. According to the April 2024 computerized physician order (CPO), diagnoses included hypertensive heart and chronic kidney disease with heart failure, acute on chronic systolic (congestive) heart failure, stage three chronic kidney disease, hemiplegia and hemiparesis (paralysis on one side on the body) following a cerebral infarction (stroke) affecting the right dominant side and chronic respiratory failure. The 4/3/24 minimum data set (MDS) assessment revealed Resident #186 was cognitively intact with a brief interview for mental status (BIMS) score of 15 out of 15. Resident #186 was dependent upon staff for toileting, hygiene, showering, dressing, putting on footwear, rolling side to side and transferring in and out of the shower. C. Observations On 4/9/24 at 9:36 a.m. Resident #186 was sleeping in bed on her back with her door wide open. Her shirt was raised just below her breasts exposing her stomach. She was wearing a brief with no pants. She had a sheet hanging over her right leg. Her window blinds were open. Staff and residents were moving up and down the hallway past Resident #186's room. Staff and residents could see Resident #186 sleeping partially exposed. On 4/10/24 at 9:43 a.m. Resident #186 was sleeping in her bed on her back with her door half-way open. Her shirt was raised just below her breasts exposing her stomach. She was wearing a brief with no pants. She had a sheet pulled up to her knees. Her window blinds were open. Staff and residents were ambulating up and down the hallway past Resident #186's room. Staff and residents could see her sleeping partially exposed. D Record review Resident #186's baseline care plan did not document if the resident preferred to sleep in a shirt and briefs or if interventions were in place to ensure the resident's right to privacy was respected. E. Staff interviews The director of nursing (DON) was interviewed on 4/11/24 at 5:54 p.m. The DON said if a resident wanted to sleep in their t-shirt and underwear the staff needed to provide the resident privacy by closing their privacy curtain, bedroom door and the blinds to their window. The DON said if the resident refused to have those items closed the facility would make arrangements to accommodate their request while providing privacy. She said the facility frequently trained staff on resident rights and dignity. The activity assistant (AA) was interviewed on 4/11/24 at 6:30 p.m. She said if a resident wanted to sleep partially or completely exposed it was their right. She said if a resident wanted to sleep in limited clothing the staff should have pulled the privacy curtain or shut the door to prevent visitors and other residents from seeing the resident exposed. She said if a resident was seen exposed it could provide the resident with a lack of dignity. She said she had not seen Resident #186 sleeping exposed with her door open. She said the resident appeared hot most of the time. Registered nurse (RN) #1 was interviewed on 4/11/24 at 6:42 p.m. She said she provided the residents with dignity and respect by pulling the privacy curtain all the way around if they preferred to sleep with limited clothing on. She said she offered residents a sheet or blanket to cover up if they wanted to sleep partially or fully exposed. The NHA and the DON were interviewed together on 4/11/24 at 7:46 p.m. The NHA said if a resident wanted to sleep in the nude or in limited clothing the facility honored their wishes. She said the privacy curtain needed to be pulled around the bed or the door needed to be closed to protect the resident's privacy and dignity. She said Resident #186 had hemiplegia on the right side of her body and needed the staff's help to get dressed and undressed or to be covered up. She said she would provide privacy and dignity education to all staff to prevent the situation from occurring again. The DON said the residents had the right to sleep in what made them comfortable but staff needed to provide them privacy. The NHA, DON and executive director (ED) were interviewed together on 4/11/24 at 8:07 p.m. The ED said resident rights were reviewed in the quality assurance committee and the facility recently had an in-service on resident rights on 4/5/24. The in-service covered the residents' right to a dignified existence, self-determination, to be fully informed, to raise grievances, right to access, regarding financial affairs, privacy and rights during discharge or transfer. The NHA and the ED said staff should always respect and protect residents' right to privacy. If a resident was in bed and had limited clothes on and preferred not to have the covers pulled up the staff needed to make sure the resident was provided privacy by pulling the privacy curtain or closing their door. The DON said each resident should have a personalized plan of care that includes the residents' needs and preferences. F. Facility follow-up The NHA provided a copy of a Promoting Privacy and Dignity in Care in-service, completed with the facility's staff, on 4/11/24 at 8:27 p.m. The education included how to promote dignity and respect for the residents. The education included ways the staff could promote dignity such as ensuring drapes and doors were closed when needed. II. Resident #193 A. Resident interview Resident #193 was interviewed on 4/8/24 at 11:17 a.m. She said night call lights took longer to answer on night shift. She said call lights were usually answered around 30 minutes after the light was activated. She said she waited 45 minutes to use the restroom and accidentally had a bowel movement in her bed because the staff did not respond timely. Resident #193 said it was embarrassing for her because she was able to use the bathroom but needed assistance to get out of bed. B. Resident #193's call light log from 3/25/24 to 3/31/24 Resident #193's call light logs from 3/25/24 to 3/31/24 revealed the following: On 3/25/24 at 4:31 p.m. the resident's call light was answered 21 minutes and 48 seconds after being turned on. On 3/26/24 at 12:39 p.m. the resident's call light was answered one hour, 24 minutes and 44 seconds after being turned on. On 3/26/24 at 2:13 p.m. the resident's call light was answered 25 minutes and 32 seconds after being turned on. On 3/26/24 at 9:54 p.m. the resident's call light was answered 23 minutes and 28 seconds after being turned on. On 3/27/24 at 6:53 p.m. the resident's call light was answered 30 minutes and two seconds after being turned on. On 3/27/24 at 8:34 p.m. the resident's call light was answered 40 minutes and 33 seconds after being turned on. On 3/27/24 at 10:07 p.m. the resident's call light was answered 38 minutes and 56 seconds after being turned on. On 3/28/24 at 8:32 p.m. the resident's call light was answered 50 minutes and four seconds after being turned on. On 3/29/24 at 5:57 p.m. the resident's call light was answered three hours, 17 minutes and 37 seconds after being turned on. On 3/30/24 at 4:18 a.m. the resident's call light was answered one hour, 16 minutes and 55 seconds after being turned on. -Resident #193's call light logs were requested for April 2024, however the facility provided a duplicate copy of the resident's March 2024 call light log. C. Staff interviews The staffing coordinator (SC) was interviewed on 4/11/24 at 6:52 p.m. The SC said some residents had spoken to her about concerns with call light response times at night. She said she conducted one-on-one verbal education with the staff on the night shift and reminded them to be more mindful of the call light times. She said the other issue shared with her from the residents was the agency staff were not familiar with their individual needs. The SC said she reviewed the call light logs to support the education provided. She said when there were new certified nurse aides (CNAs) the call lights tended to have a longer response time. The call lights improved once the CNAs had more experience. She said when CNAs were hired it slowed the process down again for answering call lights. She said it was a constant problem. The SC said she reminded staff to try and keep the call lights under five minutes when possible. She said the CNAs asked the nurses for assistance when needed. She said the nurses knew they needed to help sometimes with the call lights. The SC said she felt one reason for call light concerns was because some CNAs moved slower when they helped residents and some of the CNAs did not always watch for the call lights as much as they needed to. The SC said she tried to direct the staff and show the CNAs efficient ways to assist residents in a timely manner. She said she tried to assist the CNAs as much as possible when she saw concerns. The SC said a lot of the slower call light responses were when the CNAs had difficulties with time management. She said they needed to continue to learn how to prioritize their time so they efficiently and timely assisted the residents. The SC said time management with staff was the biggest issue but she was not sure if it could be fixed or if she could train staff on time management. She said she had not conducted any training and was unaware of any recent facility training for time management. The quality assurance nurse (QAN) and the NHA were interviewed on 4/11/24 at 8:07 p.m. The QAN said time management for staff was addressed in the quality assurance meeting and plans were created but were not sustained. The NHA said some of the call light response concerns were related to staff not staying for their entire shift. She said some of them disappeared or left half an hour before their shift ended. She said she identified staff were not staggering their break times to allow for enough staff to remain on the floor to answer call lights. D. Facility follow-up An in-service education regarding call lights provided by the NHA on 4/11/24 at 8:27 p.m. read: It is everyone's responsibility to answer call lights. All departments, you never know if they want water, a Kleenex or a snack. If it is care and you are not a CNA or a nurse, please let the residents know you will tell them, if necessary to go back and let the resident know they will be with them.
CONCERN (D)

Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed

Deficiency F0553 (Tag F0553)

Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident

**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on record review and interviews, the facility failed to ensure the right to participate in the development and implementat...

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**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on record review and interviews, the facility failed to ensure the right to participate in the development and implementation of his or her person-centered plan of care was provided for one (#44) of two residents out of 38 sample residents. Specifically, the facility failed to notify or involve the resident and/or the appointed medical durable power of attorney (MDPOA) of care conference discussions for Resident #44. Findings include: I. Resident #44 A. Resident status Resident #44, over the age of 65, was admitted on [DATE]. According to the April 2024 computerized physician order (CPO), diagnoses included diabetes, dementia and cerebral infarction (stroke). According to the 2/5/24 minimum data set (MDS) assessment, Resident #44 had moderate cognitive impairment with a brief interview for mental status (BIMS) score of 12 out of 15. B. Record Review A Medical Durable Power of Attorney (MDPOA), signed by the resident on 4/22/21, was obtained from the nursing home administrator (NHA) on 4/11/24 at 9:48 a.m. Resident #44 had two identified agents for decision making. The 11/3/23 multidisciplinary care conference documented registered nurse (RN) #3 attended the meeting. -There was no documentation to indicate the resident or the resident's MDPOA was invited or attended. The 2/2/24 multidisciplinary care conference documented that licensed practical nurse (LPN) #4 attended the meeting and Resident #44's friend was unable to be reached by phone. -There was no documentation to indicate the resident or the resident's MDPOA was invited or attended. The social service progress notes dated 4/11/24 documented the resident's primary MDPOA was contacted (during the survey) and gave permission to contact the alternate MDPOA or another identified friend to be involved with care conferences. II. Interviews Resident #44's alternate MDPOA was interviewed on 4/10/23 at 3:35 p.m. The alternate MDPOA said they were the primary contact for Resident #44's contact as the MDPOA was out of state and was often unavailable. The alternate MDPOA said they were not aware of care conferences that took place on 11/3/23 and 2/2/24. The alternate MDPOA said they would want to be notified so they could participate. The alternate MDPOA said the primary MDPOA was also not notified. The social services director (SSD) was interviewed on 4/11/24 at 11:46 a.m. The SSD said she expected the MDPOA to be involved in care conferences. The SSD said that while she spoke to the MDPOA about who could be involved in future care conferences, this did not reflect for the care conferences that took place on 11/3/23 and 2/2/24. The nursing home administrator (NHA) was interviewed on 4/11/24 at 11:51 a.m. The NHA said she expected an identified MDPOA to be involved in care conferences. The NHA said new progress note documentation detailing who should be involved in care conferences was completed on 4/11/24 (during the survey). The NHA agreed the MDPOA should have been involved in care conferences on 11/3/23 and 2/2/24.
CONCERN (D)

Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed

ADL Care (Tag F0677)

Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident

**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observations, record review and interviews, the facility failed to ensure two (#6 and #52) of two residents reviewed fo...

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**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observations, record review and interviews, the facility failed to ensure two (#6 and #52) of two residents reviewed for activities of daily living (ADL) out of 38 sample residents received appropriate treatment and services to maintain or improve his or her abilities. Specifically, the facility failed to ensure Resident #52 and Resident #6, who were dependent on staff for care, were provided showers consistently with their plan of care. Findings include: I. Professional standard According to [NAME], P.A., [NAME], A.G., et.al., Fundamentals of Nursing, 10 ed. (2020), E.[NAME], St. Louis Missouri, pp. 1794, retrieved on 4/16/24, Frequent bathing and skin care help promote overall health and wellness. Older adults may find it necessary to bathe only every two or three days, use less soap, and increase the use of skin moisturizers. II. Resident #6 A. Resident status Resident #6, over the age of 65, was admitted on [DATE]. According to the April 2024 computerized physician order (CPO), diagnoses included multiple sclerosis (MS), neuromuscular dysfunction of the bladder, and respiratory failure. According to the 2/15/24 minimum data set (MDS) assessment, Resident #6 had no cognitive impairment with a brief interview for mental status (BIMS) score of 15 out of 15. The assessment documented Resident #6 was dependent on staff assistance for bathing. B. Resident interview Resident #6 was interviewed on 4/9/24 at 11:24 a.m. Resident #6 said she required total assistance with bathing, as her MS had advanced to the point where she could not move her arms and legs anymore. Resident #6 said sometimes staff informed her that she could not get her bath if there was no bath aide or if nursing staff was busy. Resident #6 said she preferred to bathe twice a week but usually received one bath per week. C. Record review The comprehensive care plan, dated 2/7/24, documented Resident #6 required total assistance with two staff members for bathing assistance. The comprehensive care plan documented Resident #6 preferred two baths per week. The bathing records from 2/12/24 through 4/4/24 showed the resident received only ten showers out of 15 opportunities. Paper bathing records showed Resident #6 also received baths on 3/28/24 and 4/11/24. This represents 12 total baths given to the resident in eight weeks of time, with five baths being offered one week after the last bath completed per facility documentation. D. Staff interviews Certified nurse aide (CNA) #1 was interviewed on 4/11/22 at 11:22 a.m. CNA #1 said that Resident #6 required total assistance of up to two staff members to give her a bath. III. Resident #52 A. Resident status Resident #52, over the age of 65, was admitted on [DATE]. According to the April 2024 CPO, diagnoses included diabetes, dementia and cerebral infarction (stroke). According to the 2/12/24 MDS assessment, Resident #52's cognitive ability was intact with a score of 13 out of 15 on the brief interview for mental status (BIMS) assessment. Resident #52 required substantial or maximum assistance with bathing. B. Record review -The care plan, dated 2/13/24, failed to document Resident #52's bathing assistance needs or preferences. Electronic bathing records documented eight completed baths of 16 bathing opportunities between 2/9/24 and 4/5/24, with one bathing refusal on 4/5/24. -There was no documentation of re-offering refused bathing services Paper bathing records showed Resident #52 also received baths on 3/7/24, 3/30/24, 4/8/24 and 4/11/24. Paper bathing records documented one additional bathing refusal on 3/18/24. -There was no documentation of re-offering baths after resident refusals on 3/5/24, 3/18/24, or 4/5/24. This represents a total of 12 baths given to Resident #52 between 2/9/24 and 4/11/24, a nine week period of time. C. Staff interviews Certified nursing assistant (CNA) #1 was interviewed on 4/11/22 at 11:22 a.m. CNA #1 said that Resident #52 required extensive one person assistance with bathing. The director of nursing (DON) was interviewed on 4/11/24 at 5:54 p.m. The DON said all residents should be bathed twice per week while accommodating resident preferences. The DON said she was unfamiliar with how bathing was documented and recommended interviewing the staffing coordinator (SC). Bathing records were reviewed with the DON for Resident #6 and Resident #52 during the interview. The DON said not enough baths were offered to Resident #6 and Resident #52. The DON said the facility had enough staff to complete all baths and nursing staff needed to communicate and work together better to ensure all baths were completed for residents. The DON said if a resident refused a bath it should be re-offered the next day. The staffing coordinator (SC) was interviewed on 4/11/24 at 6:11 p.m. The SC provided paper bathing records. The staffing coordinator said not enough baths were offered to Resident #6 and Resident #52. The SC said if a resident refused a bath it should be re-offered the next day.
CONCERN (D)

Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed

Unnecessary Medications (Tag F0759)

Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident

**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observations, record review and interviews, the facility failed to ensure the medication error rate was less than five ...

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**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observations, record review and interviews, the facility failed to ensure the medication error rate was less than five percent. Specifically, the facility had a medication error rate of 16.00%, which was four errors out of 25 opportunities for error. Findings include: I. Professional reference According to [NAME], P.A., [NAME], A.G., et.al., Fundamentals of Nursing, 10 ed. (2020), E.[NAME], St. Louis Missouri, pp. 606-607, retrieved on 4/16/24, Take appropriate actions to ensure the patient receives medication as prescribed and within the times prescribed and in the appropriate environment. Professional Standards such as nursing scope and standards of practice apply to the activity of medication administration. To prevent medication errors, follow the seven rights of medication administration consistently every time you administer medications. Many medication errors can be linked in some way to an inconsistency in adhering to these seven rights: the right medication, the right dose, the right patient, the right route, the right time, the right documentation and the right indication. II. Facility policy and procedure The April 2019 Administering Medications policy was obtained from the nursing home administrator (NHA) at 6:11 p.m. on 4/11/24. It documented that medications were to be administered within one hour of their prescribed time, unless otherwise specified such as before or after meal orders. III. Observations On 4/10/24 at 12:19 p.m. Licensed practical nurse (LPN) #3 administered insulin to Resident #193. The April 2024 computerized physician's orders (CPO) documented the resident was to receive 10 units of basal insulin before meals, and additional insulin according to the resident's blood sugar and a sliding scale. The basal and sliding scale insulin were both administered after the resident ate her lunch. -LPN #3 failed to ensure Resident #193 received insulin in accordance with the physician's order. On 4/11/24 at 8:14 a.m. registered nurse (RN) #1 administered medication to Resident #38. RN #1 reviewed the physician's orders and obtained several morning medications from the medication cart. RN #1 then administered the pills to Resident #38 in the dining hall. RN #1 said she would administer Resident #38's lidocaine patch, miralax powder, and eye drops later in the resident's room. The April 2024 medication administration record (MAR), obtained 4/11/24 at 9:02 a.m., documented the above scheduled 8:00 a.m. medications had not been given to the resident. -RN #1 failed to administer Resident #38's lidocaine patch, miralax powder, and eye drops within one hour according to the physician's order and facility policy. According to the April 2024 MAR, Resident #38 had a physician's order for a lidocaine patch to be administered at 8:00 a.m. for the resident's pain, Miralax was to be administered at 8:00 a.m. to alleviate constipation and two eye drops in both eyes four times a day were to be administered at 8:00 a.m. V. Staff interviews LPN #3 was interviewed on 4/10/24 at 12:53 p.m. LPN #3 said that Resident #193 was supposed to get the 10 units of basal insulin before meals. LPN #3 said Resident #193 had already eaten her meal. LPN #3 said medications ordered before meals should not be given after meals. LPN #3 said physician's orders should always be followed. RN #1 was interviewed on 4/11/24 at 9:13 a.m. RN #1 said medications should be administered within one hour of their prescribed time. RN #1 said medication orders should always be followed. The director of nursing (DON) was interviewed on 4/11/24 at 5:54 p.m. The DON said medication orders by the physician should always be followed. The DON said medications should be given within one hour of their prescribed time, unless otherwise denoted.
CONCERN (D)

Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed

Deficiency F0760 (Tag F0760)

Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident

**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observations, record review and interviews, the facility failed to ensure residents were free from significant medicati...

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**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observations, record review and interviews, the facility failed to ensure residents were free from significant medication errors for two (#46 and #193) of eight residents reviewed for medication errors out of 38 sample residents. Specifically, the facility failed to: -Administer Resident #46's midodrine (a medication used to treat low blood pressure) appropriately according to manufacturer's guidelines, and; -Administer Resident #193's insulin according to the physician's order. Findings include: I. Manufacturer's guidelines A. Midodrine hydrochloride The midodrine hydrochloride manufacturer's guidelines, dated July 9th 2020, were obtained from the National Institute of Health (NIH) Library of Medicine database on 4/16/24. It documented in pertinent part, Warnings: Supine hypertension (elevated blood pressure when lying down): The most potentially serious adverse reaction associated with midodrine therapy is marked elevation of supine arterial blood pressure (supine hypertension). Midodrine comes as a tablet to take by mouth. It is usually taken three times a day during the daytime hours (such as morning, midday, and late afternoon) with doses spaced at least 3 hours apart. B. Insulin The How to Use your Lispro Pen manufacturer's procedure guide dated March 2013 was obtained from the National Institute of Health (NIH) Library of Medicine database on 4/22/24. It documented in pertinent part, Subcutaneous Administration Humalog should be given within 15 minutes before a meal or immediately after a meal. II. Facility Policy The Administering Medications policy, dated April 2019, was obtained from the nursing home administrator (NHA) on 4/11/24 at 6:14 p.m. It documented that medications were administered in accordance with the prescriber order. It documented that medications were administered within one hour of their prescribed time unless otherwise specified. Residents may self-administer their own medications only if the attending physician, in conjunction with the interdisciplinary care planning team, had determined that they had the decision-making capacity to do so safely. The individual administering the medication recorded the date and time the medication was administered. The Self-Administration of Medications policy, dated February 2021, was obtained from the NHA on 4/11/24 at 6:14 p.m. It documented that residents deemed safe to self-administer medications had this documented in the medical record and the individualized care plan. III. Resident #46 A. Resident Status Resident #46, over the age of 65, was admitted on [DATE]. According to the April 2024 computerized physician order (CPO), diagnoses included end stage renal disease, congestive heart failure, and left lower leg amputation. According to the 10/4/23 minimum data set (MDS) assessment, Resident #46 had no cognitive impairment with a brief interview for mental status (BIMS) score of 15 out of 15. B. Observations On 4/9/24 at 8:41 a.m., Resident #46 was interviewed. During the interview, the resident had a small clear medication cup with four pills in the cup. The resident swallowed the medications over several minutes during the interview, which lasted until 8:58 a.m. No staff members were present in the resident's room between 8:41 a.m. and 8:58 a.m. when the interview took place. (cross-reference F554 for self-administration of medications) C. Record Review According to the April 2024 CPO, midodrine was ordered on 10/10/2023 to be administered three times a day at 8:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., and 8:00 p.m. The April 2024 CPO documented it was important the resident received the morning midodrine dose before attending dialysis. -The April 2024 CPO did not include an order by a physician for the resident to administer their own medications. The care plan obtained from the NHA on 4/11/24 at 6:11 p.m. failed to document Resident #46 could self-administer his own medications. The April medication administration record (MAR) documented the resident received his 8:00 a.m. midodrine on 4/9/24. This was documented by LPN #1. -However, LPN #1 was not present in the room to confirm the resident took his medications. D. Staff interviews Licensed practical nurse (LPN) #1 was interviewed on 4/10/24 at 4:36 p.m. LPN #1 said medication orders should always be followed. LPN #1 said Resident #46 could not self-administer medications. LPN #1 said she had witnessed Resident #46 take his medications the morning of 4/9/24, however, the resident was observed swallowing medications at 8:41 a.m. without any staff members present. LPN #1 said the cup of medications the resident consumed was Resident #46's morning medications and not someone else's medications. LPN #1 then said she did not know the time Resident #46 swallowed his midodrine. LPN #1 agreed that residents who were not allowed to take their own medications should be observed swallowing the medications by appropriate staff to ensure they were taken at the correct time. LPN #1 said she did not know what midodrine was, and did not research the medication or review the resident orders. The pharmacist (PH) was interviewed on 4/11/24 at 2:02 p.m. The pharmacist said that Resident #46 was not allowed to self-administer medications. The Pharmacist said giving midodrine without ascertaining the exact time it was given was incorrect medication administration. The pharmacist said that midodrine doses needed to be spaced out by at least three hours, and residents could see abnormally high or low blood pressures throughout the day if the schedule was not followed. The director of nursing (DON) was interviewed on 4/11/24 at 5:54 p.m. The DON said medication orders should always be followed. The DON said that resident #46 could not administer his own medications, and did not have a physician's order to allow self medication administration per the facility policy. The DON said bedside nurses should be familiar with the medications they were giving and should attempt to learn about medications they were unfamiliar with. The DON said she could not ascertain if Resident #46 could have been given two different doses of midodrine too close together on 4/9/24. IV. Resident #193 A. Resident Status Resident #193, age [AGE], was admitted on [DATE]. According to the April 2024 computerized physician order (CPO) diagnoses included type two diabetes mellitus with hyperglycemia, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and depression. According to the 4/5/2024 minimum data set (MDS) assessment Resident #193 was cognitively intact with a brief interview for mental status (BIMS) score of 15 out of 15. The resident was not identified to self-administer medications. B. Resident observation and interview On 4/10/24 at 12:02 p.m., Resident #193 was interviewed. During the interview, a plate of remaining food appeared to be eaten on her bedside table. Resident #193 said she had eaten her entire lunch and had not yet received her insulin for the meal. On 4/10/24 at 12:19 p.m. Licensed practical nurse (LPN) #3 administered insulin to Resident #193 after the resident ate her lunch. -LPN #3 failed to ensure Resident #193 received insulin in accordance with the physician's order. C. Record Review The April 2024 computerized physician's orders (CPO) documented the resident was to receive 10 units of basal insulin before meals, and additional insulin according to the resident's blood sugar and a sliding scale. The basal and sliding scale insulin were both administered after the resident ate her lunch. The medication administration record (MAR) dated April 2024 documented the resident was to receive ten units of insulin before meals. D. Staff interviews LPN #3 was interviewed on 4/10/24 at 12:53 p.m. LPN #3 said that Resident #193 was supposed to get the 10 units of basal insulin before meals. LPN #3 said Resident #193 had already eaten her meal. LPN #3 said medications ordered before meals should not be given after meals. LPN #3 said physician's orders should always be followed. RN #1 was interviewed on 4/11/24 at 9:13 a.m. RN #1 said medications should be administered within one hour of their prescribed time. RN #1 said medication orders should always be followed. The director of nursing (DON) was interviewed on 4/11/24 at 5:54 p.m. The DON said medication orders by the physician should always be followed. The DON said medications should be given within one hour of their prescribed time, unless otherwise denoted. V. Post-Survey Documentation A one-on-one inservice education was received from the NHA on 4/15/24 at 2:17 p.m. It documented the DON provided education to LPN #1 which included information on midodrine as a medication, the expectation for bedside nurses to familiarize themselves with resident medications and the importance of accurate medication administration documentation. The inservice also documented that the combination of these factors was what led to the nursing staff's inability to ascertain if midodrine doses were spaced out safely and appropriately.
CONCERN (D)

Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed

Dental Services (Tag F0791)

Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident

**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on record review and interviews, the facility failed to provide routine and emergency dental services to meet the needs of...

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**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on record review and interviews, the facility failed to provide routine and emergency dental services to meet the needs of each resident for one (#43) of one resident reviewed for dental services out of 38 sample residents. Specifically, the facility failed to: -Ensure a timely response to replacing Resident #43's missing dentures and identify the potential impact on her eating and swallowing due to her history of swallowing difficulties;. -Ensure Resident #42 was provided with proper oral care to identify potential mouth sores as a result of her missing bottom dentures; and, -Ensure proper communication between staff members, departments, and facility vendors regarding Resident #43's needs and/or concerns related to her missing dentures. Findings included: I. Resident status Resident #43, over the age of 65, was admitted on [DATE]. According to the April 2024 computerized physician orders (CPO), diagnoses included hypertensive heart disease with heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), type II diabetes mellitus with unspecified diabetic retinopathy without macular edema, esophageal obstruction, dysphagia oropharyngeal and anxiety disorder. According to the 2/3/24 minimum data set (MDS) assessment, the resident was cognitively intact with a brief interview for mental status (BIMS) score of 15 out of 15. The resident had no behavioral symptoms or rejections of care. The assessment did not identify the resident had problems with her dentures or swallowing difficulties. II. Resident interview Resident #43 was interviewed on 4/9/24 at 9:15 a.m. Resident #43 said she had dental issues. She said sometime around December 2023 she was eating a baked potato when her bottom denture came out her mouth. She said the denture fell on the floor and two of the teeth broke. She said a certified nurse aide (CNA) placed the dentures by her sink. Resident #43 said when she came back to her room, the dentures were gone. She said the dentures were not put back in the denture cup where she stored them. Resident #43 said she thought someone must have thrown her lower denture away because it was broken. She said she told staff her denture was missing but was told if the dentures were put in the trash, the dentures were gone. Resident #43 said she was told by the dentist that her insurance would not pay for new dentures for seven years. She said she now had sores inside of her mouth. She said she now had a hard time chewing meat. Resident #43 said some of the food was cutting her gums when she ate. Resident #43 was observed on 4/10/24 at 12:23 p.m. as she ate her lunch. She said the lunch meal was soft enough for her to chew. Resident #43 was interviewed again on 4/11/24 at 3:20 p.m. Resident #43 said her mouth had been hurting for a couple of months. She said she mentioned it to someone but did not think to ask more about it. She said the SSD met with her today (4/11/24) and was told she was working on getting her new dentures. Resident #43 said she wanted to have bottom dentures back so she could eat without pain. She said meat was tough to eat and she liked meat. She said she loved potato chips but had to quit eating them because the chips hurt her mouth. She said swallowing food had been hard without her bottom dentures because she was not able to chew her food up small enough. She said she missed eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches which she loved but the bread would get gummed in her throat. She said the dietary aide tried to blend up the sandwiches so she could swallow them but she did not like it as a blended texture. Resident #43 said the registered dietitian (RD) noticed she was starting to have trouble swallowing a couple of months ago and she said she told the RD she was having difficulty swallowing the bread (see 12/18/23 CPO below). Resident #43 said she had difficulty swallowing in the past because she had throat surgery. III. Record review The dental, hearing, vision and speech care plan, initiated 7/24/23, read Resident #43 had natural teeth. The resident was at risk for dental issues related to a broken tooth. On 6/9/22 multiple teeth were extracted. She did not wear her bottom plate because it needed to be adjusted. Social services was to make the appointments. The care plan goal was to maintain function with dental, vision, and hearing without complication. The dysphagia care plan, initiated 7/24/23, read the resident was at a high risk for aspirations/complications related to her history of dysphagia (difficulty swallowing). The cognition care plan, revised 8/4/23, read Resident #43 had impaired cognition. She made her needs known but may miss part or the intent of the message during the conversation. She may require cues and redirection during complex and multi-step tasks. Her cognition may also impact her communication. The diabetic care plan, revised 11/6/23, documented the resident was on a mechanical soft diet. The self care and mobility care plan, revised 11/6/23, read the resident required set up assistance with meals and she required extensive assistance of one staff member for personal hygiene. The nutrition care plan, revised 11/24/23, read Resident #43 had a nutritional problem or potential problem related to COPD, diabetes type II and esophageal obstruction. The resident needed a therapeutic diet. The 12/18/23 CPO directed staff to provide the resident a LCS (low calorie sweetener) regular texture with a thin liquid diet. The directions on the diet order read no bread. A 1/11/24 oral hygienist note in the resident's electronic medical record (EMR) read the resident had an periodic hygiene evaluation and denture care. The note read the resident said she no longer had her lower denture. The note did not identify the resident had sores in her mouth at the time of the oral care. The note recommended to staff to have the resident soak her dentures overnight and brush them in the morning. -However, the note had just documented the resident said she no longer had her lower denture. -There was no documentation in Resident #43's EMR to indicate the facility had reviewed the 1/11/24 oral hygienist's note. The 2/2/24 dietary profile read Resident #43 was on a regular diet, had swallowing problems and had a lower denture. -However, per Resident #43, her lower denture broke and went missing in December 2023 (see resident's interview above). A 2/2/24 registered dietitian (RD) nutritional assessment read Resident #43 fed herself with set up assistance. The resident was able to make her needs known. She had natural upper (teeth) and a lower denture. The resident had no chewing difficulties reported with her current diet texture. The resident continued to have occasional swallow difficulties. She had not had weight loss. -Despite the RD documenting Resident #43 had a lower denture, per Resident #43, her lower denture broke and went missing in December 2023 (see resident's interview above). The dysphagia care plan intervention, revised 2/6/24, read swallowing precautions were recommended per her physician and the speech therapist. A 2/16/24 dental consultation note read Denture adjustment. There was no additional information on the note. The dental, hearing, vision and speech care plan intervention, revised 2/6/24, directed nursing staff to help with needs/care with dental, vision, and hearing; nursing/social services to assist with appointments; and, notify the physician if any concerns. The 4/11/24 nursing note read Resident #43's mouth and lower gums were assessed on 4/11/24 (during the survey) related to complaints of pain from possible mouth sores on her lower gums due to not having lower dentures. The assessment of the resident's mouth identified a small red pin sized sore to the right lower front of the gum and a small red area to the left lower gum.The note read both of the sores were just under the top canine of her top dentures. The resident said her mouth only hurt when she ate salty foods, grainy foods or meat. The physician was faxed for orders for a salt water mouth rinse twice a week and an oral/mouth assessment until her new lower dentures were in her mouth. The 4/11/24 social service note read the social service director (SSD) received a follow up call from the dental office regarding Resident #43's bottom dentures. The dental office stated the request for medicaid coverage for the replacement of the bottom dentures was denied. The SSD contacted the resident's representative. The representative said she received a letter from Medicaid regarding the denial but didn't think to let anyone know about it. The SSD was waiting for a copy of the resident's appointment and denial letter to pursue different options for bottom denture replacement for Resident #43. IV. Staff interviews The SSD was interviewed on 4/9/24 at 4:31 p.m. The SSD said Resident #43 had her teeth pulled in the past and had dentures. The SSD reviewed the resident's medical record and said the nutrition assessment on 2/2/24 read Resident #43 had both upper and lower dentures. The resident went to the dentist on 2/16/24 for a denture adjustment. The SSD said she was not aware of any concerns with her dentures and she was not notified she was missing her dentures. The SSD said she could follow up with Resident #43 and her representative. The SSD said if the resident needed her dentures then she would work on getting them for her. CNA #3 was interviewed on 4/9/24 at 4:44 p.m. CNA #3 said he routinely worked with Resident #43 but she had limited requests for him and he did not know if she had lower dentures or not or if they were missing. CNA #4 was interviewed on 4/9/24 at 5:19 p.m. CNA #4 said she had worked with Resident #43 once a week for the past three weeks. She said she was aware the resident did not have lower dentures but knew nothing more about the dentures. The SSD was interviewed on 4/10/24 at 11:54 p.m. The SSD said she contacted the dental office and was told there was a prior authorization made for her bottom dentures but she was waiting on the results of the prior authorization (see record above). The SSD said she reminded staff and residents to inform her when the residents were missing items. The SSD said when a resident was missing an item, staff should tell social services so she could start looking for the item. The SSD said she spoke to the CNAs and the resident's nurse and they did know the resident was missing her bottom denture. Resident #43 said she did not know who she told when her dentures broke and then were missing. The SSD said the resident could not give her a time frame of how long the dentures were missing. The SSD was interviewed again with the NHA and the director of nursing (DON) via phone on 4/11/24 at 11:56 a.m. The SSD said the resident told her her teeth fell out and broke and social services was not informed about it. The SSD said the resident had an appointment for the dentist scheduled. The SSD said on 1/11/24, the facility's dental hygienist wrote the resident did not have her lower dentures. The NHA said the dental hygienist visited with social services but was not sure how else the facility communicated with her. The NHA said she was not aware of the resident expressing concerns with her dentures or expressing concerns with a sore mouth when she was eating. The NHA and the DON said they would have Resident #43's mouth checked for sores and set up orders for staff to check her mouth weekly. The staff would be educated to report missing items, or concerns. The DON said she would look at the past 24 hour reports and see if anything regarding the resident's dentures was noted. The SSD said the resident had an appointment for the dentist scheduled. -During the interview, the DON said the ADON had just texted her. She said the ADON reported Resident #43 had just been assessed and she had two small mouth sores. The DON said the resident would be reviewed for a possible infection with the sores. The RD was interviewed on 4/11/24 at 3:06 p.m. The RD said no one had reported to her that the resident was missing her dentures. She said she wrote on 2/2/24 the resident had her dentures. The RD said she spoke to Resident #43 weekly in the dining room and the resident did not tell her her mouth was sore when she ate. The RD said the resident was on a regular texture diet and she was not aware she was having difficulty. The RD said if a resident was having trouble eating food she would want to know but the resident's weight was fine and some residents did fine with eating a regular diet without dentures/teeth. The SSD was interviewed again on 4/11/24 at 3:34 p.m. The SSD said if she knew about the missing dentures and the denial for the replacement, she would have immediately contacted Medicaid directly to start the appeal process and seek out grants to help pay for the bottom denture replacement. She said she would have shared with the interdisciplinary team (IDT) the loss of the dentures and asked the IDT to monitor how the resident was doing without her dentures. She said she would have asked if the resident's needs were being met while the denture replacement was pending. The SSD said the IDT would review the resident's order texture and her meal tray card to make sure the resident's dietary needs were met and address it as a main concern. The SSD said the resident told her today (4/11/24) at lunch she was having a hard time chewing the meat. The resident was then provided an alternate meal. The SSD said speech therapy was asked to evaluate her to determine if the resident needed her diet texture changed while her dentures were pending. The assistant director of nursing (ADON) was interviewed again on 4/11/24 at 4:13 p.m. The ADON said the resident's nurse told her today (4/11/24) that the resident was missing her bottom dentures. The ADON said she was told the resident was now having pain when eating salty food and was having a hard time chewing without the bottom denture. The ADON said CNAs were supposed to check and clean residents' dentures and help the residents put the dentures back in the residents' mouth. She said none of the CNAs reported a concern with Resident #43's dentures. The ADON said if the CNAs had been providing proper oral care for Resident #43, they would have known she was missing the dentures and had mouth pain. The ADON said the CNAs had not had a recent oral care education but she would implement an oral care inservice to instruct the staff to provide denture care before and after meals. The ADON said she did not know the dental hygienist was aware and documented the resident did not have her dentures in January 2024. The ADON said staff usually read the dental hygienist notes. She said the dental hygienist usually reported concerns to the nurse and social services.
CONCERN (E)

Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed

Deficiency F0554 (Tag F0554)

Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents

**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** V. Resident #46 A. Resident Status Resident #46, over the age of 65, was admitted on [DATE]. According to the April 2024 CPO, di...

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**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** V. Resident #46 A. Resident Status Resident #46, over the age of 65, was admitted on [DATE]. According to the April 2024 CPO, diagnoses included end stage renal disease, congestive heart failure, and left lower leg amputation. According to the 10/4/23 MDS assessment, Resident #46 had no cognitive impairment with a BIMS score of 15 out of 15. The resident was not identified to complete medication administration independently. B. Observations On 4/9/24 at 8:41 a.m., Resident #46 was interviewed. During the interview, the resident had a small clear medication cup with four pills in the cup. The resident swallowed the medications over several minutes during the interview, which lasted until 8:58 a.m. No staff members were present in the resident's room between 8:41 a.m. and 8:58 a.m. when the interview took place. (cross-reference F760 for significant medication errors) C. Record Review According to the April 2024 CPO, midodrine (blood pressure medication) was ordered on 10/10/2024 to be administered three times a day at 8:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. The April 2024 CPO documented it was important the resident received his morning midodrine dose before attending dialysis. The April 2024 CPO did not include an order by a physician for the resident to administer their own medications. The care plan obtained from the NHA on 4/11/24 at 6:11 p.m. failed to document Resident #46 had been assessed to safely self-administer his own medications. The April 2024 medication administration record (MAR) documented the resident received his 8:00 a.m. midodrine on 4/9/24. This was documented by LPN #1. -However, LPN #1 was not present in the room to confirm the resident took his medications. D. Staff interviews Licensed practical nurse (LPN) #1 was interviewed on 4/10/24 at 4:36 p.m. LPN #1 said medication orders should always be followed. LPN #1 said Resident #46 could not self-administer medications. LPN #1 said she had witnessed Resident #46 take his medications the morning of 4/9/24, however, the resident was observed swallowing medications at 8:41 a.m. without any staff members present. LPN #1 said the cup of medications the resident consumed was Resident #46's morning medications and not someone else's medications. LPN #1 then said she did not know the time Resident #46 swallowed his midodrine. The pharmacist (PH) was interviewed on 4/11/24 at 2:02 p.m. The PH said Resident #46 was not allowed to self-administer medications. The PH said it was expected that nurses witness medication administration for residents who could not self-administer medications. The director of nursing (DON) was interviewed on 4/11/24 at 5:54 p.m. The DON said medication orders should always be followed. The DON said resident #46 could not administer his own medications, and did not have a physician's order to allow self medication administration per the facility policy. The DON said medications should not be left at the bedside if the resident could not self-administer medications. The DON said she expected nursing staff to observe residents swallow medications to ensure they had been taken as part of a normal medication administration. Based on observations, record review and interviews, the facility failed to ensure the self administration of medications was clinically appropriate for two (#7 and #46) of eight residents reviewed for medication errors out of 38 sample residents. Specifically, the facility failed to implement an interdisciplinary team (IDT) approach to assess if Resident #7 and #46 were clinically safe and appropriate for self-administration of medications. Findings include: I. Professional standard According to [NAME], P.A., [NAME], A.G., et.al., Fundamentals of Nursing, 10 ed. (2020), E.[NAME], St. Louis Missouri, pp. 2016, retrieved on 4/16/24, Do not leave medications at the bedside. If you leave the medication on the bedside table, how do you know they took the medication? Someone else could come in and take or discard the medication. II. Facility Policy The Self-Administration of Medications policy, dated February 2021, was provided by the nursing home administrator (NHA) on 4/11/24 at 6:14 p.m. It documented in pertinent part, Residents deemed safe to self-administer medications will have this documented in the medical record and the individualized care plan. III. Resident group interview The resident group was interviewed on 4/10/24 at 10:03 a.m. The group consisted of five residents (#37, #16, #24, #38 and #20), including the resident council president, who were identified as interviewable by the facility and assessment. Resident #38 said the nurses left her medications in her room because the staff knew she would take her medications. She said she often self-administered her medications without staff present. Resident #20 said the night shift nurses left her bedtime medications in her room. She said she took sleeping medications and was not tired enough to take them when the nurses came by so the nurse left the medications in her room. She said the nurses also left her pain medications in her room and she self-administered her medications herself when she needed pain relief at 8:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m. Resident #37 said if she was in the restroom when the nurse brought her medications the nurse left the pills on her counter and she self-administered her medications. Resident #16, the resident council president, said she self-administered her morning medications after breakfast without staff present. IV. Resident #7 A. Resident status Resident #7, over the age of 65, was admitted on [DATE] According to the April 2024 CPO, diagnoses included unspecified dementia, unspecified severity, with psychotic disturbance, blindness in her right and left eye, unspecified macular degeneration and anxiety disorder. The 1/13/24 MDS assessment indicated the resident's cognition was intact with a BIMS of 15 out of 15. The resident did not have behaviors of rejections of care or other related behaviors. B. Observations and resident interview Resident #7 was interviewed on 4/8/24 at 10:44 a.m. Resident #7 said she could not see well and was blind in her right eye. The resident said she put her own eye drops in her eyes. The resident pulled a small plastic bag out of her bedside dresser drawer. The bag contained two eye drop bottles, artificial tears eye drops, Prednisolone prescription eye drops and Saline nasal spray. Next to the bag in the drawer was Flonase nasal spray. The resident said she had trouble sleeping at night because of sinus problems so she put cotton tips and nasal spray in her nose herself. -At 11:03 a.m. Resident #7 retrieved an artificial tears eye drop bottle with a white cap out of the plastic bag and asked if the bottle had a red top. The resident then pulled a Prednisolone eye drop bottle out of the bag with a red top and asked if the bottle had a red top. The resident proceeded to twist off the red top of the Prednisolone eye drop bottle and place one drop of the medication in her right eye. The resident placed a drop of the artificial tears in her left eye. The resident said she could tell the color difference of the bottle caps when she held them next to each other. On 4/11/24 at 8:27 a.m. Resident #7's bottle of artificial tears was on top of her bedside dresser and the Prednisolone was in the drawer. The resident said she could not always find her eye drops because staff placed everything in the drawer and her eye drops got buried. She said staff also moved her eye drops sometimes to the other side of the room and she had difficulty finding her eye drops. C. Family interview The resident's family member was interviewed on 4/10/24 at 1:27 p.m. The family member said the resident always put her own eye drops in her eyes when she was at home. She said Resident #7 continued to administer her own eye drops at the facility. She said the resident could not always find where she last put the eye drops in her room because she could not see well at all. D. Record review The April 2024 CPO revealed the following physician's orders for Resident #7: Pred Forte Ophthalmic Suspension at 1% (Prednisolone Acetate) for one drop in right eye four times a day for ocular pain, ordered 5/29/23. Saline Nasal Spray Nasal Solution at 0.65 % to spray in both nostrils every six hours as needed for rhinitis (inflammation and swelling of the mucous membrane of the nose), ordered 6/7/23. Flonase Allergy Relief Nasal Suspension to spray in each nostril in the morning for rhinitis, ordered 10/31/23. Artificial Tears Ophthalmic Solution for drops in both eyes three times a day, ordered 11/6/23. The self care and mobility care plan, revised 1/15/24, read Resident #7 had impaired mobility, related to recent falls, blindness, weakness and did not always ask for assistance. The cognition care plan, revised 4/11/24, read Resident #7 had a BIMS score of 15 out of 15 but had episodes of confusion with an expected decline in cognitive function. -Review of the care plan did not identify the resident was deemed appropriate or safe to administer her own eye drops or nasal spray. The April 2024 medication administration record (MAR) was reviewed between 4/1/24 and 4/10/24. The MAR read the following medications were administered by a nurse: -Flonase Allergy Relief Nasal Suspension spray once a day; -Artificial Tears Ophthalmic Solution eye drops three times a day; and, -Pred Forte Ophthalmic Suspension eye drops four times a day. -However, per Resident #7, she administered her own eye drops and Flonase nasal spray and kept the medications in her bedside drawer (see observations and interview above). -According to the April 2024 MAR, the Saline Nasal Spray Nasal Solution was not administered by a nurse or known to be administered between 4/1/24 and 4/10/24. E. Staff interviews The nursing home administrator (NHA) was interviewed on 4/10/24 at approximately. She said no medications should be left in a resident's room. She said residents who administered their own medication would have to be assessed for safety and capability, have a self administration order and be able to complete their own MAR. She said she did not believe there was any resident in the facility who was assessed and ordered for self administration of medications. She said it was very rare for a resident to be able to complete the MAR. Licensed practical nurse (LPN) #2 was interviewed on 4/11/24 at 10:22 a.m. LPN #2 said she did not have any residents who had self administration medication orders. She said she was frequently Resident #7's nurse. LPN #2 said the nurse was supposed to administer her eye drops and nasal spray but the resident wanted to keep the eye drops and the nasal spray in her room because Resident #7 wanted to feel more in control. LPN #2 said it was a constant battle with the resident. She said if the resident was administering her own eye drops, she probably was not administering them in a clinically appropriate way and she would probably be getting more of the eye drops than she should. LPN #2 was interviewed again on 4/11/24 at 11:38 a.m. LPN #2 said she had moved all the eye drops and the nasal spray out of Resident #7's room. She said she had contacted the resident's family member and interviewed the resident and confirmed the resident was administering the medications herself. The resident understood why the medications could not be in her room and consented to have them removed. The resident was informed the eye drops and the nasal spray were going to be locked in the nursing cart. LPN #2 said it was normal practice to lock up the spray and the eye drops in the nursing cart. She said she was aware the medications were in the resident's room but she was trying not to upset the resident if she removed them. She said she was surprised the resident was okay that the medications would be locked up. The NHA and the director of nursing (DON) were interviewed on 4/11/24 at 12:52 p.m. The NHA said Resident #7's family member was bringing the eye drops and the nasal spray to the resident but all medications should be locked up. The DON said Resident #7 wanted the medications in her room as a sense of control. The DON said the eye drops and nasal sprays needed to be secured in the medication cart. She said the resident was probably getting more of the eye drops than was ordered by the physician.
CONCERN (E)

Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed

Respiratory Care (Tag F0695)

Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents

**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observations, record review and interviews, the facility failed to ensure residents received proper respiratory treatme...

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**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observations, record review and interviews, the facility failed to ensure residents received proper respiratory treatment and care for three (#37, #55 and #77) of four residents reviewed for supplemental oxygen use out of 38 sample residents. Specifically, the facility failed to: -Administer oxygen in accordance with the physician's order for Resident #55 and Resident #77; and, -Ensure Resident #37 had a physician's order for oxygen use. Findings include: I. Facility policy and procedures The Oxygen Administration policy, revised October 2010, was provided by the facility on 4/11/24. According to the policy, the purpose of the policy was to provide guidelines for safe oxygen administration. The policy read in pertinent part, Verify there is a physician order for this procedure. Review the physician's order or facility protocol for oxygen administration. Review the resident's care plan to assess any special needs of the resident. Assemble the equipment and supplies as needed. II. Resident #55 A. Resident status Resident #55, over the age of 65, was admitted on [DATE]. According to the April 2024 computerized physician orders (CPO), diagnoses included chronic and obstructive pulmonary disease, acute and chronic respiratory failure with hypoxia and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. According to the 12/31/23 minimum data set (MDS) assessment, the resident was cognitively intact with a brief interview for mental status (BIMS) score of 15 out of 15. The resident had no behavioral symptoms or rejections of care. The assessment indicated the resident received oxygen therapy and had shortness of breath or trouble breathing with exertion and when laying flat. B. Resident observations and interview On 4/8/24 at 4:13 p.m. Resident #55 was in her room wearing a nasal cannula attached to an oxygen concentrator. The oxygen concentrator flow rate was set at 5 liters per minute (lpm). The resident said she had no concerns with her oxygen. She said weekly on Mondays she received a new nasal cannula and her oxygen flow rate was to be set at 5 lpm. The resident said 5 lpm was not a new setting. She said it had been set at 5 lpm for a while. On 4/9/24 at 10:31 a.m. Resident #55 wore her nasal cannula attached to her oxygen concentrator as she layed in bed. The oxygen concentrator flow rate setting remained at 5 lpm. On 4/10/24 at 1:47 p.m. the resident was in her room wearing a nasal cannula attached to her oxygen concentrator with the oxygen flow rate set at 5 lpm. She said she had not had recent breathing issues or episodes of shortness of breath. On 4/11/24 at 8:29 a.m. Resident #55 wore the nasal cannula attached to her oxygen concentrator and the oxygen flow rate was set at 5 lpm. B. Record review The respiratory care plan, initiated 7/21/23, identified Resident #55 was at respiratory risk related to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and chronic respiratory failure with hypoxia. The resident was dependent on continuous oxygen per nasal cannula. The respiratory care plan intervention, revised 1/1/24, directed staff to administer medications per physician's orders, provide oxygen via nasal cannula and titrate oxygen to maintain oxygen blood saturation levels above 90% and notify the physician of changes in status. -The care plan did not identify the resident adjusted her own oxygen settings (see interview below). The 1/13/24 CPO read Resident #55 had oxygen orders for 2 lpm continuously via nasal cannula. Observe skin integrity every shift at pressure points from the oxygen delivery device while in use on every shift related to COPD and chronic respiratory failure with hypoxia. -According to the oxygen order, staff needed to notify the physician if the resident required oxygen greater than 4 lpm. The 2/28/24 CPO read staff needed to check the resident's oxygen every shift for oxygen tubing kinks and safety issues. A 3/8/28 nursing note read Resident #55 was at 5 lpm with an oxygen saturation level of 95%. The 4/3/24 multidisciplinary care conference documentation read Resident #55 was on continuous oxygen related to COPD at 4 lpm and was doing well. The documentation read the resident had some shortness of breath with exertion. -The care conference documentation did not indicate the physician would be or was notified to change the resident's oxygen orders from 2 lpm continuous to 4 lpm continuous as identified in use per the multidisciplinary documentation. -The 4/3/24 documentation did not identify the resident's oxygen setting would be increased to 5 lpm as observed above. -Review of the resident's medical record did not identify the physician was notified of an increased oxygen need between the 4/8/24 through 4/11/24 survey observation period. The April 2024 treatment administration record (TAR) between 4/1/24 and 4/10/24 read the oxygen saturation levels ranged between 90% and 96% on continuous oxygen at 2 lpm via nasal cannula. The TAR indicated the resident's nurse checked and signed off on the resident's oxygen twice a day. -However, observations on 4/8/24, 4/9/24 and 4/10/24 revealed the resident's oxygen flow rate was set on 5 lpm (see observations above). III. Resident #37 A. Resident status Resident #37, over the age of 65, was admitted on [DATE]. According to the April 2024 CPO, diagnoses included unspecified dementia, unspecified severity without behavioral disturbances, generalized anxiety, interstitial lung disease with progressive fibrotic phenotype in diseases classified elsewhere, obstructive sleep apnea and chronic atrial fibrillation (an irregular and often very rapid heart rhythm). According to the 11/14/23 MDS assessment, the resident was cognitively intact with a BIMS score of 13 out of 15. The assessment did not identify the resident received oxygen therapy. B. Observations On 4/9/24 at 10:40 a.m. Resident #37 was in her room and wore a nasal cannula attached to a portable oxygen canister on the back of her wheelchair. On 4/10/24 at 4:58 p.m. Resident #37 was in the dining room. The resident wore a nasal cannula attached to her portable oxygen. On 4/11/24 at 7:48 a.m. Resident #37 wore a nasal cannula attached to her portable oxygen canister. The oxygen flow rate was set at 3 lpm. C. Record review The 7/6/23 physician's orders directed staff to obtain Resident #37's oxygen saturation levels every 24 hours as needed. -The physician's order did not identify the resident was on oxygen therapy. The cardiac care plan goal, initiated 8/17/23, read Resident #37 would maintain oxygen saturation levels above 90%. The care plan intervention, revised 2/15/24 read the resident was on oxygen PRN (as needed). The vital signs log identified Resident #37 saturation levels were monitored twice a month between 12/19/23 and 4/1/24. The vital signs log identified Resident #37 had been on oxygen via nasal cannula in December 2023, January 2024, March 2024 and April 2024. The resident's oxygen saturation levels were 93% or above on room air and 95% or more on oxygen via nasal cannula in December 2023 and January 2024. In February 2024, the resident's saturation levels were checked on 2/1/24 and 2/17/24. Her oxygen saturation level on room air the resident was 98% on 2/1/24 and at 93% on 2/17/24. The resident's saturation levels on oxygen via nasal cannula was at 98% when her March 2024 and April 2024 oxygen saturation level was checked by staff. -The February 2024 vital signs log documented the resident had 93% or greater oxygen saturation levels when tested on room air without oxygen via nasal cannula. The March and April 2024 medication administration records for obtaining Resident #37's oxygen saturation levels as needed were left blank between 3/1/24 and 4/11/24. The April 2024 CPO did not identify the resident had physician orders for oxygen use via nasal cannula. The April 2024 treatment administration record (TAR) did not identify the resident was monitored for oxygen use. IV. Resident #77 A. Resident status Resident #77, over the age of 65, was admitted on [DATE]. According to the April 2024 CPO, diagnoses included chronic respiratory failure with hypoxia, obstructive sleep apnea and hypertensive heart disease with heart failure. According to the 2/7/24 MDS assessment, the resident's cognition was intact with a BIMS of 13 out of 15. The assessment identified the resident received oxygen therapy. B. Resident observations and interview On 4/8/24 at 4:39 p.m. Resident #77 was in his room wearing a nasal cannula attached to an oxygen concentrator. The oxygen flow rate on the concentrator was set at 3 lpm. On 4/11/24 at 10:50 a.m. Resident #77 was in his room wearing a nasal cannula attached to an oxygen canister. The oxygen flow rate was set at 3 lpm. Resident #77 said staff set his oxygen at 3 lpm and he had not had a recent change in his respiratory needs or oxygen level settings. C. Record review The 2/1/24 physician's order directed staff to provide Resident #77 oxygen via nasal cannula every shift. -The physician's order did not specify what the resident's oxygen flow rate should be. The 2/1/24 physical therapy (PT) evaluation and plan of treatment was provided by the assistant director nursing (ADON) on 4/11/24 at 4:26 p.m. The PT evaluation read the resident needed 3 lpm of oxygen via nasal cannula. A 2/1/24 PT treatment encounter note was provided by the assistant director nursing (ADON) on 4/11/24 at 4:26 p.m. The note read Resident #77's oxygen saturation levels were 100% on 4 lpm of oxygen and 98% on 3 lpm of oxygen. According to the resident's nurse, the resident was on 2 lpm of oxygen at the hospital and the resident reported using 3 lpm of oxygen at home. The respiratory risk care plan, initiated 3/7/24, read the resident was at risk related to obstructive sleep apnea chronic respiratory failure with hypoxia, heart failure and edema. The care plan directed staff to administer medication per physician's orders, provide oxygen per nasal cannula, titrate to maintain oxygen saturation level over 90% and notify the physician of changes in status. The April 2024 TAR between 4/1/24 and 4/10/24 read the oxygen saturation levels ranged between 92% and 99% on continuous oxygen at 4 lpm via nasal cannula. The TAR indicated the resident's nurse checked and signed off on the resident's oxygen twice a day. -However, observations on 4/8/24 and 4/11/24 revealed the resident's oxygen flow rate was set on 3 lpm (see observations above). V. Staff interviews Licensed practical nurse (LPN) #2 was interviewed on 4/11/24 at 10:40 a.m. LPN #2 said the nurses and certified nursing assistants checked residents' oxygen. LPN #2 reviewed Resident #55's oxygen orders. The nurse said the resident had oxygen orders for 2 lpm. She said the resident's oxygen should not have been set at 5 lpm. She said the resident should have not been higher than 4 lpm. LPN #2 said she would notify the physician for order clarifications. LPN #2 was interviewed again on 4/11/24 at 11:38 a.m. LPN #2 said she changed Resident #55's oxygen setting to 2 lpm. LPN #2 said she thought the resident was the one who changed the oxygen setting to 5 lpm. She said she would have the resident assessed for appropriate oxygen needs and contact the physician to determine if the resident needed a higher level of oxygen than was ordered. The nursing home administrator (NHA) and the director of nursing (DON) were interviewed on 4/11/24 at 12:09 p.m. The DON said Resident #55 was changing the oxygen settings to 5 lpm. The DON said staff attempted to get a new order but the physician said her oxygen level should not be set higher. The DON said the resident said she would just continue to turn up the oxygen. The NHA said Resident #55's behavior of turning up her oxygen should have been care planned. The NHA said she would look at interventions such as educating the resident on the need for appropriate oxygen settings, offer reminders to the resident to not self adjust and provide non-pharmacological interventions when the resident felt anxious. The NHA said she would provide education for staff to monitor the resident's oxygen settings. The NHA said she would look at prevention methods so the resident could not self adjust her oxygen settings. The NHA said Resident #55 had COPD. She said if the resident received too much oxygen then she could become sick and decrease her ability to breathe. The NHA said she did not know why the resident was turning up her own oxygen. The NHA said residents' oxygen needs were assessed on admission and quarterly. She said the assessments were not documented but included respirations and review of oxygen saturation levels and oxygen orders. She said a nurse would make sure the resident was on the correct liter of oxygen to maintain a saturation level above 89%. The NHA reviewed the orders and said Resident #37 did not have an order for oxygen via nasal cannula as observed. The DON said an oxygen report identified Resident #37 used oxygen at night via CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure). The DON said the resident did not have a CPAP order. The DON said the assistant director of nursing (ADON) was in the process of identifying when and why Resident #37 was placed on oxygen via nasal cannula and provided the equipment without a physician's order. The DON said the oxygen supply company completed an audit of their oxygen equipment on 3/18/24. The DON said the supply company's audit read Resident #37 had portable oxygen equipment in place. The NHA said the resident should have had an order for the nasal cannula and documentation identifying why the resident needed the oxygen. The NHA said Resident #77's oxygen setting should not have been lower than what he had an order for. She said if Resident #77's oxygen saturation levels were consistently high, the physician should have been contacted and the order changed. The NHA said when CNAs turned the oxygen on the nurse should provide an on the spot check to make sure the oxygen was on the correct setting as oversight because oxygen was a medication. The NHA said Resident #77's saturation levels looked good so she would have his order changed. The ADON was interviewed on 4/11/24 at 4:26 p.m. The ADON said the nursing staff should check residents orders and compare the orders to the oxygen settings on every shift. The ADON said Resident #55 told staff in February 2024 she would hit them if they tried to turn her oxygen down and she would just turn the oxygen back up. The ADON said the behavior should have been care planned and staff should have been monitoring it more. The ADON said Resident #37 used to have an oxygen order but she could not find a current order for her. The ADON said she contacted the oxygen supply company and Resident #37 had been receiving oxygen via a portal nasal cannula (without an order) for the past six weeks. The ADON said Resident #77 was admitted to the facility on 2 lpm of oxygen. Then he was on 3 lpm of oxygen and saturation levels were holding steady. The ADON said the therapy notes read therapy bumped up his oxygen to 4 lpm. She said therapy could not change oxygen so a nurse must have entered the 4 lpm oxygen order on 2/1/24. -Review of provided PT notes (above) and evaluation did not identify PT felt the resident should have been on 4 lpm of oxygen. The quality assurance nurse (QAN), the NHA, the DON and the executive director (ED) were interviewed on 4/11/24 at 8:07 p.m. The QAN said oxygen management had been reviewed in the facility's quality assurance meetings. The quality assurance committee focused on ensuring residents had the right oxygen equipment assigned to them and orders matched treatment through audits. The QAN said they had identified and corrected several concerns and wrote new orders. The DON said staff turnover could have hindered sustainable changes for oxygen management concerns. The NHA said the committee needed to identify the root cause of the current oxygen concerns. VI. Facility follow up The 4/11/24 oxygen inservice education was provided by the facility on 4/11/24 (during the survey). The oxygen education was provided to 15 staff members including nursing and CNA staff. According to the education every resident that was on oxygen needed to have an order in their medical chart. Nurses and CNAs should monitor oxygen use when in the residents' rooms. CNAs should report to the nurses to ensure the oxygen was on the correct liter flow
CONCERN (E)

Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed

Deficiency F0761 (Tag F0761)

Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents

**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observations, record review and interviews, the facility failed to ensure all drugs and biologicals were properly label...

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**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observations, record review and interviews, the facility failed to ensure all drugs and biologicals were properly labeled and stored in accordance with professional standards in one of two medication storage rooms and two of five medication storage carts. Specifically, the facility failed to: -Ensure all medications and biologicals were stored appropriately in a secure location; -Ensure medications were appropriately labeled with resident names and dates they were opened; and, -Ensure medications were not expired. Findings include: I. Professional reference According to [NAME], P.A., [NAME], A.G., et.al., Fundamentals of Nursing, 10 ed. (2020), E.[NAME], St. Louis Missouri, pp. 1976, retrieved on 4/11/24, All drugs are secured in designated areas only accessible to nurses. II. Facility Policy The February 2023 Medication, Labeling and Storage Policy was obtained from the nursing home administrator (NHA) on 4/11/24 at 5:22 p.m. It read in pertinent part, Medications and biologicals are stored in the packaging, containers or other dispensing systems in which they are received. Only the issuing pharmacy is authorized to transfer medications between containers. The nursing staff is responsible for maintaining medication storage and preparation areas in a clean, safe, and sanitary manner. Compartments containing medications and biologicals are locked when not in use, and trays or carts used to transport such items are not left unattended if open or otherwise potentially available to others. III. Manufacturer's guidelines Flovent Diskus manufacturer's guidelines were retrieved from medication cart B on 4/10/24 at 3:19 p.m. the guidelines documented in pertinent part, Flovent Diskus should be stored inside the unopened moisture-protective foil pouch and only removed from the pouch immediately before initial use. Discard Flovent Diskus 6 (six) weeks (50-mcg (microgram) strength) or 2 (two) months (100- and 250-mcg strengths) after opening the foil pouch or when the counter reads '0' (zero) (after all blisters have been used), whichever comes first. The inhaler is not reusable. IV. Observations On 4/9/24 at approximately 3:30 p.m., a clear plastic bag containing four different pills was found on the floor of the conference room. The NHA and director of nursing (DON) were notified at 3:35 p.m and the bag of medications was given to the NHA. On 4/10/24 at 11:43 a.m., medication storage cart F was inspected and contained an opened bottle of guaifenesin that expired in March 2024. On 4/10/24 at 2:32 p.m., medication storage room [ROOM NUMBER] was inspected with the ADON and held several expired over the counter medications. -One bottle of Geri-Mox was found to be expired in November of 2023. -Two bottles of stool softener were found to be expired in September of 2023. On 4/10/24 at 3:10 p.m., medication storage cart B was inspected with RN #2 and contained incorrectly labeled medications. -A Fluticasone inhaler was observed with no date on the inhaler or the medication box to indicate when it was initially opened. -An albuterol inhaler was observed with no resident name or date on the inhaler to indicate when it was initially opened. -A Trelegy Ellipta inhaler was observed with no resident name or date opened on the containing box. -A Flovent diskus was observed with a handwritten date of 4/24/23, which indicated the medication was originally opened 11 months ago. V. Staff Interviews The NHA was interviewed on 4/9/24 at 3:38 p.m. The NHA said she did not know who the bagged medications belonged to and that it could belong to the family of a resident. The NHA said that residents, families and dietary staff occasionally ate in the conference room. The NHA said medications should not be stored in a plastic bag on the floor of the conference room. RN #2 was interviewed on 4/10/24 at 3:28 p.m RN #2 said medications should only be stored in their original packaging. RN #2 said resident inhalers should have the date the medication was opened and first accessed on the inhaler and not the box. RN #2 said medication carts were checked weekly for expired medications. The NHA was interviewed again on 4/11/24 at 3:23 p.m. The NHA said she had not completed her investigation into the pills found in the conference room and said she did not know who the pills belonged to. The NHA said that staff, residents, and visitors had access to use the conference room at request. The NHA said all medications should be locked up and secured. The DON was interviewed on 4/11/24 at 5:54 p.m. The DON said medications should be locked at all times, except during medication administration. The DON explained that the facility used to employ a pharmacist who would check all the medication carts but the position was not replaced when he retired. The DON said it was the nurses' responsibility to check medication carts for expired medications and that task was to be completed twice weekly. The DON said she had not identified the owner of the bag of medications found in the conference room on 4/9/24 at approximately 3:30 p.m., but she had sent calls out to all staff to attempt to identify the owner of the medications. The DON said medications should not be stored in a plastic bag on the floor of the conference room.
CONCERN (E)

Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed

Deficiency F0805 (Tag F0805)

Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents

**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observations, record review and interviews the facility failed to ensure nine (#3, #1, #22, #71, #59, #14, #41, #20 and...

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**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observations, record review and interviews the facility failed to ensure nine (#3, #1, #22, #71, #59, #14, #41, #20 and #44) of 13 residents with an order for an altered mechanical soft texture, out of 38 sample residents received food and fluids prepared in a form designed to meet their needs per physician orders. Findings include: I. Professional reference The Common Ground Between NDD and IDDSI, reviewed July 2021, retrieved from on 4/23/24:https://iddsi.org/IDDSI/media/images/CountrySpecific/UnitedStates/NDD-to-IDDSI-Implementation.pdf read in pertinent partNDD of 2002 is being replaced by the IDDSI Framework, founded in 2013. This is the only professionally recognized and supported diet framework as of October 2021. NDD level three dysphagia advanced is now IDDSI soft and bite-sized level six. The NDD description stated bite-sized, soft, moist and not sticky. However, bite-sized guidelines were larger than the typical diameter of an air way. The IDDSI name of soft and bite-sized is more descriptive of what food consistency the kitchens should produce. The Soft and Bite-sized Framework, revised January 2019, retrieved from on 4/23/24: https://iddsi.org/IDDSI/media/images/ConsumerHandoutsAdult/6_Soft_Bite_Sized_Adult_consumer_handout_30Jan2019.pdf It read in pertinent part, Level six, soft and bite-sized foods: -Soft, tender and moist, but with no thin liquid leaking or dripping; -Ability to bite off a piece of food is not required; -Ability to chew bite-sized pieces so that they are safe to swallow is required; -Bite-sized piece no bigger than one and a half centimeters by one and a half centimeters (half an inch by half an inch) in size; -Food can be mashed or broken down with pressure from a fork; and -A knife is not required to cut this food. Examples of soft and bite-sized food for adults: -Meat is cooked tender and chopped so pieces are no bigger than half an inch by half an inch lump size. If the meat cannot be served soft and tender, the meat needs to be served as minced and moist (chopped with a sauce); -Fish is cooked soft enough to break and serve pieces are no bigger than half an inch by half an inch; -Fruit is soft and chopped into pieces no bigger than half an inch by half an inch with any excess liquid drained. Do not use fibrous parts of the fruit; -Vegetables are steamed or boiled with the final cooked size no bigger than half an inch by half an inch. Stir-fried vegetables are too firm and are not suitable; -Cereal is served with pieces no bigger than half an inch by half an inch with their texture fully softened. Drain excess liquid before serving; -No regular bread due to a high choking risk; and -Rice requires a sauce to moisten it and hold it together. [NAME] should not be sticky or gluey and should not separate into individual grains when cooked and served. Food characteristics to avoid are soup with pieces of food, cereal with milk, nuts, raw vegetables, dry cakes, bread, dry cereal, steak, pineapple, candies, marshmallows, raw carrot, raw apple, popcorn, peas, grapes, chicken or salmon skin, meat with gristle, overcooked oatmeal, lettuce, cucumber, uncooked baby spinach, crisp bacon, etc. II. Facility policy The Therapeutic Diets policy, revised October 2017, provided by the executive director (ED) on 4/11/24 at 11:00 a.m. read in pertinent, Therapeutic diets are prescribed by the attending physician to support the resident's treatment and plan of care and in accordance with his or her goals and preferences. The diet will be determined in accordance with the resident's informed choices, preferences, treatment goals and wishes. Diagnosis alone will not determine whether the resident is prescribed a therapeutic diet. A therapeutic diet must be prescribed by the resident's attending physician. A diet order should match the terminology used by the food and nutrition services department. A therapeutic diet is considered a diet ordered by a physician, practitioner or dietitian as part of treatment for a disease or clinical condition, to modify specific nutrients in the diet, or alter the texture of a diet. If a mechanically altered diet is ordered the provider will specify the texture modification. Snacks will be compatible with the therapeutic diet. III. Resident #3 A. Resident status Resident #3, age [AGE], was admitted on [DATE]. According to the April 2024 computerized physician orders (CPO), diagnoses included chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Alzheimer's disease, dementia, personal history of other diseases of the digestive system, muscle weakness and dysphagia oropharyngeal phase (difficulty swallowing). The 2/29/24 minimum data set (MDS) assessment revealed Resident #3 had moderate cognitive impairment with a brief interview for mental status (BIMS) score of 11 out of 15. Resident #3 required a mechanically altered diet. B. Record review The physician orders, care plan and meal ticket revealed Resident #3 was on a mechanical soft diet with thin liquids. The resident was allowed to have potato chips. Resident #3's meal ticket documented the resident was on a low-concentrated sweets diet with a mechanical soft texture and thin liquids. C. Observations On 4/10/24 at 6:08 p.m. Resident #3 was served a slice of frosted cake The cake was dry and crumbly. IV. Resident #1 A. Resident status Resident #1, under the age of 65, was admitted on [DATE]. According to the April 2024 CPO, diagnoses included acute respiratory failure, multiple sclerosis (chronic disease of the central nervous system), muscle wasting and atrophy, muscle spasms and dysphagia oropharyngeal phase. The 2/19/24 MDS assessment revealed Resident #1 had moderate cognitive impairments with a BIMS score of 10 out of 15. Resident #1 required a mechanically altered diet. B. Record review The physician orders, care plan and meal ticket revealed Resident #1 was on a mechanical soft diet with thin liquids. C. Observations On 4/10/24 at 5:02 p.m. Resident #1 was served a plate that contained shrimp, spaghetti noodles, tater tots and a piece of frosted spice cake. The spaghetti noodles and cake were served at a regular texture and not altered to mechanical soft. Dietary aide (DA) #2 said the plate was correct for a mechanical soft diet. DA #3 said he was unsure if the noodles needed to be cut up or could go out whole. The plate was prevented from leaving the kitchen until it was cut into one-inch pieces and safe for the resident to eat. DA #3 cut the noodles into one inch pieces. The cake remained regular texture and was not cut into pieces. DA #3 said the cake did not need to be cut up. V. Resident #22 A. Resident status Resident #22, age [AGE], was admitted on [DATE]. According to the April 2024 CPO, diagnoses included hemiplegia and hemiparesis (weakness on one side of the body) following a cerebral infarction (stroke) affecting the left nondominant side, facial weakness following a cerebral infarction, dysphagia, dysarthria (difficulty speaking), Alzheimer's disease and dementia. The 3/11/24 MDS assessment revealed Resident #22 had severe cognitive impairment with a BIMS score of five out of 15. The MDS indicated Resident #22 held food in her mouth or cheeks or had residual food in her mouth after meals. Resident #22 complained of having difficulty or pain when swallowing. The resident was on a mechanically altered diet. B. Record review The physician orders, care plan and meal ticket revealed Resident #22 was on a mechanical soft diet with thin liquids. C. Observations On 4/10/24 at 5:03 p.m., Resident #22 was served an egg salad sandwich on a croissant with a raw slice of lettuce and tomato. At 5:07 p.m., the executive director (ED) entered the kitchen and spoke with DA #3 and DA #2 about sending out the correct texture for mechanical soft orders. -However, Resident #22 was still served a raw slice of lettuce and tomato. VI. Resident #71 A. Resident status Resident #71, over the age of 65, was admitted on [DATE]. According to the April 2024 CPO, diagnoses included hemiplegia and hemiparesis following a cerebral infarction affecting the left nondominant side, dysphagia, muscle weakness, weakness and vascular dementia moderate with agitation. The 3/21/24 MDS assessment revealed Resident #71 had mild cognitive impairment with a BIMS score of 11 out of 15. Resident #71 required a mechanically altered diet. B. Record review The physician orders, care plan and meal ticket revealed Resident #71 was on a mechanical soft diet with thin liquids. C. Observations On 4/10/24 at 5:59 p.m., Resident #71 was served a plate that had mechanical soft shrimp, spaghetti noodles and tater tots. Resident #72 received a side of sliced lettuce and tomatoes. VII. Resident #59 A. Resident status Resident #59, age [AGE], was admitted on [DATE]. According to the April 2024 CPO, diagnoses included COPD, chronic stage four kidney disease, hypertensive heart and chronic kidney disease with heart failure and chronic respiratory failure with hypoxia (not enough oxygen). The 3/22/24 MDS assessment revealed Resident #59 had moderate cognitive impairment with a BIMS score of 12 out of 15. Resident #59 required a mechanically altered diet. B. Record review The physician orders, care plan and meal ticket revealed Resident #59 was on a mechanical soft diet with thin liquids. C. Observations On 4/10/24 at 6:16 p.m., Resident #59 was served a slice of frosted cake that was dry and crumbly. VII. Resident #14 A. Resident status Resident #14, over the age of 65, was admitted on [DATE]. According to the April 2024 CPO, diagnoses included chronic respiratory failure, hypertensive heart disease with heart failure, chronic diastolic (congestive) heart failure, weakness and other fatigue. The 1/5/24 MDS assessment revealed Resident #14 was cognitively intact with a BIMS score of 15 out of 15. Resident #14 required a mechanically altered diet which required a change in the food's texture. B. Record review The physician orders, care plan and meal ticket revealed Resident #14 was on a mechanical soft diet with thin liquids. C. Observations On 4/10/24 at 5:24 p.m., an egg salad sandwich on a croissant with raw lettuce and tomato was plated for Resident #14. IX. Resident #41 A. Resident status Resident #41, under the age of 65, was admitted on [DATE]. According to the April 2024 CPO, diagnoses included hemiplegia (paralysis of one side of the body) affecting the left nondominant side, acute kidney failure, COPD and weakness. The 3/6/24 MDS assessment revealed Resident #41 had severe cognitive impairment with a BIMS score of six out of 15. Resident #41 required a mechanically altered diet. B. Record review Resident #41's meal ticket documented the resident needed a regular diet with a mechanical soft texture and thin liquids. C. Observations On 4/10/24 at 6:21 p.m., Resident #41 was served a slice of frosted cake that was dry and crumbly. X. Resident #20 A. Resident status Resident #20, age [AGE], was admitted on [DATE]. According to the April 2024 CPO, diagnoses included chronic kidney disease, disorientation, unspecified sequelae of other cerebrovascular disease (a group of conditions that affect blood flow to the brain) and unspecified coughing. The 2/26/24 MDS assessment revealed Resident #20 was cognitively intact with a BIMS score of 15 out of 15. Resident #20 required a mechanically altered diet. B. Record review The physician orders, care plan and meal ticket revealed Resident #20 was on a mechanical soft diet with thin liquids. C. Observations On 4/10/24 at 5:18 p.m., Resident #20 requested a salad. DA #3 served a salad with all raw vegetables to the resident. XI. Resident #44 A. Resident status Resident #44, age [AGE], was admitted on [DATE]. According to the April 2024 CPO, diagnoses included atherosclerotic heart disease of native coronary artery (plaque build-up in the arteries), personal history of transient ischemic attack (a stroke that only lasts a few minutes) and cerebral infarction without residual deficits and weakness. The 2/5/24 MDS assessment revealed Resident #44 had moderate cognitive impairments with a BIMS score of 12 out of 15. Resident #44 required a mechanically altered diet. B. Record review Resident #44 did not have a physician's order documenting she needed a modified diet texture. A physician's order was entered on 4/11/24 (during the survey) which documented Resident #44 was able to safely eat danishes and cinnamon rolls and could have those food items as a regular texture. However, Resident #44's meal ticket documented the resident was on a regular diet with a mechanical soft texture and thin liquids. C. Observations On 4/10/24 at 5:54 p.m., Resident #44 was served a slice of frosted cake that was dry and crumbly. XII. Staff interviews The speech therapist (ST) was interviewed on 4/11/24 at 8:28 a.m. The ST said the facility followed the National Dysphagia Diet for modified diet textures and planned to switch to the international dysphagia diet standardization initiative soon. The ST said the facility had residents on pureed, level three dysphagia advanced (mechanical soft) and regular diet textures. The ST said mechanical soft diets required food that was mashable with a fork without any effort. She said the residents who were on a mechanical soft diet could have bread that was soft and without crust. She said the cooks needed to add sauce to the foods in order to moisten them. She said she evaluated every resident when they were admitted to the facility to ensure the diet they were on previously was correct or if it needed to be changed. The ST said the resident's diet orders which were included on their meal tickets needed to be followed for the residents'safety. She said if a resident had a special request to eat a certain food item that was a regular texture she evaluated the resident to ensure they ate it safely and a physician's order for the appropriate diet texture was entered into the resident's electronic medical record (EMR). She said she was going to provide the dietary staff with education on 4/18/24 for mechanical soft textures and foods that were safe for the residents to eat to ensure the staff were aware of the diet textures. Certified nurse aide (CNA) #2 was interviewed on 4/11/24 at 9:52 a.m. CNA #2 said she assisted residents at meals if they needed help eating. She said mechanical soft meats needed to be ground. She said the residents could not have berries. She said the residents on a mechanically altered diet were limited on fruit options because it was too hard. She said she was unsure if the residents could have bread on a mechanical soft diet. CNA #2 said when she was assisting residents she cut everything into bite-sized pieces. She said if she saw the resident's texture was incorrect she sent it back to the kitchen to be corrected. She said she had not received training at the facility about modified diet textures. Nurse aide (NA) #1 was interviewed on 4/11/24 at 9:57 a.m. She said she could not serve residents until she was certified, but she said mechanical soft foods needed to be in bite-sized pieces. She said she had not received training at the facility on modified diet textures but recently learned about it in some of her CNA classes. She said if the texture was incorrect for the resident she would send it back to the kitchen to be fixed. Dietary aide (DA) #5 was interviewed on 4/11/24 at 10:01 a.m. DA #5 said she took the residents'meal and drink orders. She said residents on a mechanical soft diet received bread without crust. She said the residents could have whole french fries if they were fresh and not extremely crispy. She said meats needed to be ground. She said she had received training recently on modified diet textures. Registered nurse (RN) #1 was interviewed on 4/11/24 at 10:06 a.m. RN #1 said residents who were prescribed a mechanical soft diet needed to receive ground meats. She said mechanical soft salads needed to be chopped up in tiny pieces. She said if a resident was served a plate that did not look like it was the correct texture she would return it to the kitchen. She said it was important to follow the correct physician ordered texture modification for the residents'safety. She said food needed to be in small pieces for residents on mechanical soft diets. DA #3 was interviewed on 4/11/24 at 10:20 a.m. DA #3 said he worked as a DA and in the central supply office. He said he worked in the kitchen on 4/10/24. He said there had been some turnover in dietary management over the last few months which had led to some issues in the kitchen. He said the dietary department currently did not have a manager. He said he had not received completed training on how to be a cook or modified diet textures but knew how to make pureed meals and some mechanical soft meals. DA #3 said he tried his best to serve the residents correctly. The registered dietitian (RD) and executive director (ED) were interviewed together on 4/11/24 at 10:28 a.m. The RD said food needed to be mashable with a fork for a mechanical soft diet. She said the bread needed to have the crust cut off. The RD said if a resident wanted to eat something that was not mechanical soft, the ST evaluated the resident to ensure they ate the food item safely. The RD said when the speech evaluation was completed a physician's order was entered into the resident's EMR indicating the resident could have the certain food item. She said there was a resident who loved potato chips who was assessed by the ST and since the resident ate the chips safely, her order was updated. She said it was important to ensure all food items on each resident's tray were the correct texture before leaving the kitchen. The ED said she was putting together training for all staff, especially the dietary staff, for the week of 4/15/24 to go over modified diet textures. She said she wanted the staff to know what each resident needed for their meals and for the residents to receive the correct modified diet so they would not choke on their food. The RD said she was not up-to-date on what mechanical soft diets could and could not receive but she was working with the ST to get everyone on the same page. XIII. Facility follow-up A sign was posted in the kitchen on 4/11/24 (during the survey) by the ST which documented what residents could and could not eat on a mechanical soft diet. A copy of the sign was provided by the ED on 4/11/24 at 7:45 p.m. It read in pertinent part, Mechanical soft texture must be soft or moist and mashable with a fork. Sandwiches need the crust cut off and to be cut into one-inch pieces mixed with a moist sandwich ingredient. All breads must be soft and moist and cut into one-inch pieces. No nuts, seeds, hard candy, raw fruits or vegetables, crunchy fruits or vegetables. All food must be cut up in one-inch pieces.
CONCERN (F)

Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed

Food Safety (Tag F0812)

Could have caused harm · This affected most or all residents

Based on observations, record review and interviews, the facility failed to store, prepare, distribute and serve food in a sanitary manner in the main kitchen. Specifically, the facility failed to en...

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Based on observations, record review and interviews, the facility failed to store, prepare, distribute and serve food in a sanitary manner in the main kitchen. Specifically, the facility failed to ensure: -Appropriate hand washing and glove usage in the main kitchen; -The cook wore a beard net while serving food; -Food was reheated appropriately; and, -Hand hygiene was offered to residents during meal times. Findings include: I. Staff hand hygiene A. Professional reference According to The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (2024) The Colorado Retail and Food Establishment Rules and Regulations retrieved on 4/18/24 from https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kEtv4f6YciFXXzLEu6amUc9Anu9uWGYn/view, Food employees shall clean their hands and exposed portions of their arms immediately before engaging in food preparation including working with exposed food, clean equipment and utensils, and unwrapped single-service and single-use articles and: after touching bare human body parts other than clean hands and clean, exposed portions of arms; after using the toilet room; after coughing, sneezing, using a handkerchief or disposable tissue; after handling soiled equipment or utensils; before donning gloves to initiate a task that involves working with food; and, after engaging in other activities that contaminate the hands. If used, single-use gloves shall be used for only one task such as working with ready-to-eat food or with raw animal food, used for no other purpose, and discarded when damaged or soiled, or when interruptions occur in the operation. B. Facility policy and procedure The Preventing Foodborne Illness- Employee Hygiene and Sanitary Practices policy, revised November 2022, was provided by the executive director (ED) on 4/11/24 at 11:40 a.m. It read in pertinent: Food and nutrition services employees follow appropriate hygiene and sanitary procedures to prevent the spread of foodborne illness. All employees who handle, prepare or serve food are trained in the practices of safe food handling and preventing foodborne illness. Employees will demonstrate knowledge and competency in these practices prior to working with food or serving food to residents. Employees must wash their hands: after personal bodily functions (toileting, blowing or wiping nose, coughing or sneezing); whenever re-entering the kitchen; and, after engaging in other activities that contaminate the hands. Contact between food and ungloved hands is prohibited. Gloves are considered single-use items and must be discarded after completing the task for which they are used. The use of disposable gloves does not substitute for proper hand washing. Gloves are worn when directly touching ready-to-eat foods. Food service employees are trained in the proper use of utensils such as tongs, gloves, deli paper and spatulas as tools to prevent foodborne illness. The Handwashing or Hand Hygiene policy, revised August 2019, provided by the ED on 4/11/24 at 11:40 a.m. It read in pertinent, This facility considers hand hygiene the primary means to prevent the spread of infections. All personnel shall follow the handwashing or hand hygiene procedures to help prevent the spread of infections to other personnel, residents and visitors. Hand hygiene is the final step after removing and disposing of personal protective equipment. The use of gloves does not replace hand washing or hand hygiene. Integration of glove use along with routine hand hygiene is recognized as best practice for preventing healthcare-associated infections. Perform hand hygiene before applying non-sterile gloves and perform hand hygiene when removing non-sterile gloves. C. Observations During a continuous observation on 4/10/24, beginning at 4:40 p.m. and ending at 6:20 p.m., the following was observed: -At 4:44 p.m. dietary aide (DA) #2 prepared the meal trays going on the meal cart. He wiped his nose on the back of his glove. DA #2 did not wash his hands or change his gloves prior to picking up the resident meal tickets and sorting them. -At 4:47 p.m. DA #3 had a pair of gloves on both hands as he sorted out meal tickets that were collected from the resident's rooms. He used the same gloves to touch clean dishes and serving utensils. Without changing gloves or performing hand hygiene, he grabbed a handful of tater-tots with the gloves and placed them on a resident's plate. -At 5:59 p.m. DA #3 picked up the meal tickets with the same gloved hands and sorted them again. Without changing gloves or performing hand hygiene, he grabbed a clean plate and used his gloved hand to grab a handful of tater-tots and put them on a plate to be served to a resident. -At 6:05 p.m. DA #2 stuck his head outside of the kitchen door and sneezed. He wiped his nose on the back of his glove again and continued wiping his nose on the back of his arm from his wrist to his elbow. DA #2 walked to the handwashing sink in the kitchen and grabbed a paper towel. He used his gloved hands to wipe his nose with the paper towel. He disposed of the used paper towel and continued serving resident meals without changing his gloves or performing hand hygiene. -At 6:11 p.m. DA #2 used the same gloved hand to scratch his upper inner thigh and continued preparing trays for residents. -At 6:20 p.m. DA #3 changed one of his gloves but kept the other one on and did not wash his hands. D. Staff interviews The ED and registered dietitian (RD) were interviewed together on 4/11/24 at 10:28 p.m. The RD said the dietary staff were all new and still learning their duties and what leadership expected from them. The ED said DA #3 and DA #2 should have washed their hands and changed their gloves more often. The ED said she would provide education to the dietary staff regarding hand hygiene at the end of the survey. The RD said the gloves needed to be changed after touching something that was not for the current task. She said when DA #3 grabbed the meal tickets brought from the residents'rooms, he should have changed his gloves. She said if someone picked up something off of the floor they needed to change their gloves. The ED said any time staff changed their gloves they needed to wash their hands with soap and water in the kitchen. She said if they were not in the kitchen, staff could also use hand sanitizer between glove changes. II. Hair restraints A. Professional reference According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (2024) The Colorado Retail and Food Establishment Rules and Regulations retrieved on 4/18/24 from https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kEtv4f6YciFXXzLEu6amUc9Anu9uWGYn/view Food employees shall wear hair restraints such as hats, hair coverings or nets, beard restraints and clothing that covers body hair, that are designed and worn to effectively keep their hair from contacting exposed food, clean equipment, utensils, linens and unwrapped single-service and single-use articles. B. Facility policy and procedure The Preventing Foodborne Illness- Employee Hygiene and Sanitary Practices policy, revised November 2022, was provided by the ED on 4/11/24 at 11:40 a.m. It read in pertinent part, Hair nets or caps and beard restraints are worn when cooking, preparing or assembling food to keep hair from contacting exposed food, clean equipment, utensils and linens. C. Observations During a continuous observation on 4/10/24, beginning at 4:40 p.m. and ending at 4:51 p.m., the following was observed: -At 4:40 p.m. DA #3 was preparing meals for the short-term rehab side of the building without a beard net on. -At 4:52 p.m. the ED asked DA #3 to put on a beard net since he was cooking and plating food. D. Staff interviews The ED was interviewed on 4/11/24 at 10:28 p.m. The ED said she told DA #3 to put on a beard net because he needed to prevent potential contamination of the meal from hair. DA #3 was interviewed on 4/11/24 at 10:20 a.m. DA #3 said he was not used to wearing a beard net because he usually served the meals in the dining room and did not work as the cook. He said when the ED told him to put on a beard net he complied. III. Reheating of foods A. Professional reference The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (2024) The Colorado Retail and Food Establishment Rules and Regulations retrieved on 4/18/24 from https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kEtv4f6YciFXXzLEu6amUc9Anu9uWGYn/view, Ready-to-eat time or temperature control for safety food that has been commercially processed and packaged in a food processing plant shall be heated to a temperature of at least 135 degrees Fahrenheit (F). B. Observations During a continuous observation on 4/11/24, beginning at 4:40 p.m. and ending at 6:48 p.m., the following was observed: -At 5:31 p.m. DA #4 microwaved a bowl of chicken noodle soup for three minutes. When the chicken noodle soup was done, DA #4 immediately served the bowl of steaming chicken noodle soup to a resident. DA #4 did not take the temperature of the soup prior to serving it to a resident. While the chicken noodle soup was in the microwave, DA #5 placed two hot dogs on the flat top to cook. -At 5:36 p.m. DA #5 removed the hot dogs from the flat top and immediately served them to a resident without taking the temperature. -At 5:39 p.m. DA #4 put another bowl of soup in the microwave for three minutes. He took the soup out of the microwave. The soup was steaming and he immediately served it to a resident without taking the temperature of the soup. C. Staff interviews The ED and RD were interviewed together on 4/11/24 at 10:28 p.m. The ED said the temperature of all food items needed to be taken prior to serving the food to residents. The ED said DA #4 started working in the kitchen less than a week ago and she was going to provide him more education. IV. Resident hand hygiene before meals A. Facility policy and procedure The Handwashing or Hand Hygiene policy, revised August 2019, was provided by the ED on 4/11/24 at 11:40 a.m. It read in pertinent, This facility considers hand hygiene the primary means to prevent the spread of infections. All personnel shall follow the handwashing or hand hygiene procedures to help prevent the spread of infections to other personnel, residents and visitors. B. Observations During a continuous observation on 4/8/24, beginning at 12:10 p.m. and ending at 12:32 p.m., the following was observed in the rehabilitation building's dining room: -At 12:10 p.m. four residents were observed in the dining room of the short-term rehab buildings. The staff did not offer residents hand hygiene before the residents were served their meals. -At 12:27 p.m. a resident self-propelled his wheelchair into the dining room placing his hands on the wheels. He went to his table and was served his plate. The resident used his hands to eat a dinner roll. The staff did not offer or encourage the resident to clean his hands before eating his meal. -At 12:32 p.m. a resident walked into the dining room carrying his portable oxygen tank and sat at a table where his lunch was placed. The staff did not offer or encourage the resident to perform hand hygiene. He sat his oxygen tank on the ground and started eating his meal. The resident used his hands to eat a dinner roll. During a continuous observation on 4/10/24, beginning at 5:08 p.m. and ended at 6:08 p.m. the following was observed: -At 5:08 p.m. Resident #20 self-propelled her wheelchair into the dining room toward her table. She used her hands to touch the wheels of her wheelchair and to adjust her positioning at the table. The resident was not offered or encouraged to perform hand hygiene after she touched the wheels of her wheelchair and before she ate her meal. Resident #20 used her hands to eat a dinner roll. -At 5:09 p.m. Resident #73 self-propelled her wheelchair into the dining room with her feet as she held her baby doll. She sat at a table in front of a bag of opened potato chips. The resident was not offered or provided hand hygiene before she began to eat the chips with her hands. -At 5:13 p.m. Resident #73 left the dining room table, touched her tablemate's wheelchair handle with her left hand, propelled her wheelchair towards the nurse in the dining room and held his hand with her left hand. The resident was not offered hand hygiene. -At 5:18 p.m. Resident #73 returned to her dining table and used her right hand to touch the shoulder of the restorative aide (RA) sitting next to her. The resident was not offered hygiene. -At 5:19 p.m. Resident #73 was served her meal. She proceeded to retrieve her utensils from her rolled napkin by placing her fingers on the eating surface of the utensils. The resident then used the spoon to eat her pudding. C. Resident interviews Resident #20 and Resident #38 were interviewed on 4/10/24 at 5:27 p.m. in the main dining room. Resident #20 said the wipes on the table were for cleaning your hands. Resident #38 said the bottle of hand sanitizer was used to clean their hands too but the staff just added the bottles of hand sanitizer to the tables on 4/10/24 (during the survey). -However, neither resident was observed sanitizing their hands nor was staff observed encouraging the residents to utilize the hand sanitizer or wipes. D. Resident group interview The resident group was interviewed on 4/10/24 at 10:03 a.m. The group consisted of five residents (#37, #16, #24, #38 and #20), including the resident council president, who were identified as interviewable by the facility and assessment. Resident #24 said there were blue packs of wipes on the dining room tables for the residents to wipe their hands before they eat. She said the staff did not offer hand hygiene to the residents before any meal. She said the blue packs of wipes were the same wipes she had in her bathroom to clean her peri-area with. Resident #16 said she only ate meals in her room and was not offered hand hygiene. She said she did not know wipes were available before meals. Resident #38 said the blue wipes were left on the tables in the dining room as long as the facility did not run out of them, which happened often. E. Staff interviews Registered nurse (RN) #1 was interviewed on 4/11/24 at 6:42 p.m. She said she did not offer the residents hand hygiene when delivering the meal trays. The NHA and DON were interviewed together on 4/11/24 at 7:46 p.m. The DON said residents needed to be offered hand hygiene before their meals. V. Facility follow-up The ED provided the facility's dietary training plan on 4/15/24 at 5:01 p.m. The training was scheduled for 4/18/24 at 9:30 a.m. It consisted of hands-on training for the dietary staff. The training included hand hygiene, glove usage and kitchen sanitation. Additional training was sent out to all facility staff in the facility's electronic training system to cover all content that was covered in the in-person training. After the training was completed the staff were required to complete a post-training exam.
MINOR (B)

Minor Issue - procedural, no safety impact

Deficiency F0582 (Tag F0582)

Minor procedural issue · This affected multiple residents

Based on record review and interviews, the facility failed to inform one (#41) of three out of 38 sample residents of changes in their services covered by Medicare Part A in a timely manner. Specific...

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Based on record review and interviews, the facility failed to inform one (#41) of three out of 38 sample residents of changes in their services covered by Medicare Part A in a timely manner. Specifically, the facility failed to: -Provide a Notice of Medicare Provider Non-Coverage (NOMNC) to Resident #41 two days prior to discharge of Medicare Part A funded services; and, -Provide the Skilled Nursing Facility-Advance Beneficiary Notice (SNF ABN) when Resident #41 continued to reside in the facility following his discharge from Medicare Part A services. Findings include: I. Facility policy and procedure The Beneficiary Notice Requirements policy, revised November 2019, was provided by the nursing home administrator (NHA) on 4/11/24 at 5:39 p.m. The purpose of the policy was to ensure proper use and completion of the beneficiary notice requirements as defined by CMS ( Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services). The policy identified CMS form 10123: Notice of Medicare Non-Coverage (NOMNC) would be Utilized when Part A stay would end because the facility determined that the beneficiary no longer required daily skilled services. According to the policy, the NOMNC must be delivered at least two calendar days before Medicare coverage services and or the second to last day of service if care is not being provided daily. The form must be delivered even if the beneficiary agreed with the termination of the services. The facility must ensure that the beneficiary or representative signed and dated the NOMNC form to demonstrate the beneficiary or the representative received the notice and understood the termination decision could be disputed. The policy identified CMS form 10055: Skilled Nursing Facility Advanced Beneficiary Notice (SNF ABN) would be Utilized when Part A stay would end because the facility determined that the beneficiary no longer required daily skilled services. The beneficiary would not receive therapy or Part B services and would remain in the facility. II. Record review A. Resident #41 The medical record revealed Resident #41 was discharged from Medicare Pat A funded therapy services on 4/10/24. The resident continued to live in the facility. The beneficiary protection notice review form was provided by the facility on 4/11/24. The notice read the resident's last covered day of Medicare Part A was 4/10/24. The facility/provider initiated the discharge from Medicare Part A services when benefit days were not exhausted. The notice review form identified a NOMNC was provided to Resident #41.The notice review form did not identify the SNF ABN form was provided to the resident. -The resident was not provided notice to show Resident #41 was provided a full description of the type of Medicare part A services that were ending, given the estimated cost of services should the resident choose to pay out of pocket to continue services, and the reason why Medicare would not continue to pay for the particular service, should the resident decide to appeal the direction. The NOMNC form for Resident #41 read the effective date of coverage for his current medicare benefit services would end on 4/10/24. The form identified the resident was given and signed the notice on 4/10/24, the same day his Medicare Part A benefits would end. -Resident #41 was not given timely information about termination of Medicare part A services within the required 48 hours notification timeframe, in order to give the resident the opportunity to appeal the decision if desired. III. Staff interviews The NHA was interviewed on 4/11/24 at 7:48 p.m. The NHA said beneficiary notices should be provided to residents within 48 hours of discontinuation of Medicare Part A services. The admissions coordinator (AC) was interviewed on 4/11/24 at 7:49 p.m. The AC said she was new to her position. The beneficiary notices were reviewed with the AC. The AC said a beneficiary notice should have been provided to Resident #41 within two to three days of discharge of Medicare Part A benefits. She said her assistant, administrative assistant (ADA) was learning the beneficiary process. The AC said Resident #41 was not provided timely NOMNC because the ADA was waiting on information regarding why the resident was not going to stay on skilled nursing services. The ADA thought she had to wait on the determination before she gave the NOMNC to Resident #41. The AC said she had just started training the ADA on the SNF ABN process and would continue to train and provide oversight. The AC said she would plan to meet with the discharge planners and the interdisciplinary team (IDT) during the morning meetings to provide education on the two to three day notification and what was needed for discharge of services.
Jan 2024 2 deficiencies 1 Harm
SERIOUS (G) 📢 Someone Reported This

A family member, employee, or ombudsman was alarmed enough to file a formal complaint

Actual Harm - a resident was hurt due to facility failures

Accident Prevention (Tag F0689)

A resident was harmed · This affected 1 resident

**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observations, record review and interviews, the facility failed to ensure one (#1) of three residents remained free fro...

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**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observations, record review and interviews, the facility failed to ensure one (#1) of three residents remained free from accident hazards out of 16 sample residents. The facility failed to ensure a safe environment and prevent major injury for a resident at risk for elopement and falls. Resident #1 was let out of the facility doors by a facility visitor on 11/17/23. The resident was wearing a wander guard device but the device was not functioning properly and the wander guard system door panel did not sound an alarm to alert staff the resident was exiting the facility. The resident rolled out in the parking lot with her wheelchair and hit a parking lot bumper. Resident #1's wheelchair tipped over and the resident landed on the parking lot asphalt. A facility vendor who was outside observed the resident in the parking lot and alerted staff. The resident required hospitalization for treatment and sustained a fracture to her femur and abrasions to her head. Findings include: I. Facility policy The Wanderguard Bracelet policy and procedure, revised October 2019, was provided by the director of nursing (DON) on 1:05 p.m. According to the policy, the facility was to ensure residents at risk for elopement were assessed and remained safe within the facility. The policy read in part: (Residents) who are at risk such as those presenting with history of attempts of elopement, dementia, confusion or increased confusion and/or Alzheimer's disease wore a wander guard bracelet to alert staff of attempts at independent exit from the facility. (Residents) that are at risk for elopement are assessed by the floor nurse for the need for a wander guard bracelet on admission, quarterly and with a change of condition. Once a (resident) has been assessed as needing a wander guard bracelet, one can be placed, the device is obtained from the restorative department and the following must be completed: - The POA (power of attorney) is notified of why a wander guard is needed. - The physician is notified and a request for an order is made. - The care plan is revised to include the bracelet. - The above steps are documented in the record. Each resident who wears a wander guard bracelet will be checked every shift to ensure that the bracelet is in place. This is documented on the MAR (medical administration record). The night shift nurse will check each bracelet every night to ensure that the bracelet is operational and document on the MAR. Anytime a resident is confused, is either attempting to leave the facility and makes his way outside, is to immediately have a wander guard bracelet applied to ensure safety of the resident. Restorative nurses re-assesses for appropriateness of devices quarterly, with change of condition and PRN (as needed). They care plan the use of the device. The Falls and Fall Risk, Managing policy, revised October 2019, was provided by the director of nursing (DON) on 1:05 p.m. The policy read in part: Based on previous elevations and current data, the staff will identify interventions related to the resident specific risks and causes to try to prevent the resident from falling and to try and minimize complications from falling. II. Resident status Resident #1, over the age of 65, was admitted on [DATE] and discharged to the hospital on [DATE]. According to the January 2024 admission record, diagnoses included Alzheimer's disease, unspecified, dementia in other diseases classified elsewhere, unspecified severity, with agitation, depressive episodes, unspecified macular degeneration, acquired absence of the left leg above the knee, unilateral primary osteoarthritis of the right knee, diastolic (congestive) heart failure. The 11/3/23 minimum data set (MDS) assessment identified Resident #1 had severe cognitive impairment cognitively intact with a brief interview for mental status (BIMs) score of three out 15. According to the MDS assessment, the resident's disorganized thinking and inattentive behavior were continuously present. The MDS assessment identified Resident #1 required a wheelchair for mobility. III. Record review The November 2023 comprehensive care plan identified Resident #1 needed assistance with self care and mobility. The resident had a history of falls and exit seeking behaviors. The November 2023 comprehensive care plan for Resident #1 identified: -Had delusional episodes and hallucinations; -Had poor safety skills and safety awareness; -Had behaviors of restlessness, and wandering, -Had agitation with exit seeking episodes; -Was impulsive; and, -Believed she was staying in a hotel and packed her belongings stating I have to be ready to move. Interventions directed staff to: -Monitor behaviors and symptoms; -Provide positive distraction; -Encourage activities; -Validate feelings; -Encourage mobility; -Provide reassurance of safety; and, -Monitor for increased agitation; -The care plan did not include the resident's use of a wander guard or direct staff how to manage the wander guard, including frequency of ensuring Resident #1's wander guard was in proper working condition. The patient summary report read staff were to ensure the resident's wander guard bracelet was on and functioning every shift and staff were to answer the alarm promptly and attempt to redirect. The 6/27/23 computerized physician orders (CPO) read IDT (interdisciplinary team) review deems that it is necessary to apply a wander guard bracelet to the resident for unsafe exit seeking behaviors and poor safety awareness. The assistive device form was provided by the facility on 1/2/23. The form identified Resident #1's wander guard function was checked on 6/14/23, 7/6/23 and 7/29/23. On 8/31/23 the battery was changed and was now working.-The assistive device form did not identify the wander guard function was checked in September 2023. According to the form, the batteries to Resident #1's wander guard had to be changed on 10/4/23 and on 10/17/23. -The assistive form did not identify Resident #1's wander guard checked for function between 10/18/23 and 11/17/23, ensuring the wander guard was operational. The October 2023 treatment administration record (TAR) identified the wander guard was in place daily. -The October 2023 TAR did not identify the wander guard was checked for function, ensuring it was operational. The November 2023 TAR identified the wander guard was in place daily between 11/1/23 and 11/17/23. -The November 2023 TAR did not identify the wander guard was checked for function, ensuring it was operational. The 11/3/23 fall risk evaluation identified Resident #1 was at risk for falls. -Review of Resident #1's record did not identify the resident was assessed for elopement or had a wander risk assessment in place. The 11/6/23 unannounced wander/missing resident drill record form identified the facility conducted a drill simulating a missing resident, actions and time it took the staff to find the missing resident. According to the record, nine staff participated in the drill and the resident was found in six minutes. The 11/17/23 nursing note read a certified nurse aide (CNA) entered the facility at 3:30 p.m. and said a resident was in the parking lot in the front of the facility. According to the note, staff ran out the facility and found Resident #1 in the parking lot on her back. The note identified the resident fell out of her wheelchair. The nursing note read Resident #1's left side of head was bloody and her right leg was twisted. Emergency personnel were called and Resident #1 was taken to the hospital at 4:00 p.m. The 11/17/23 at 3:30 p.m. risk management report was provided by the facility on 1/2/24. The note read the quality assurance manager (QAM) was called to assist staff in the front parking lot of the facility. Resident #1 fell off the sidewalk and onto the parking lot. The resident was seated on her bottom with a CNA holding her head while other staff members took her vitals. Resident #1's right leg was curled inwards and there was a noted protrusion (bulge) to her posterior knee which was visible through her pants. The resident was complaining that her leg was burning and requested to get up off the ground. The resident was encouraged to take deep breaths and relax. The resident was crying and staff continued to encourage her to calm down as they held her hands and talked to her. The QAM called 911 at 3:43 p.m. for emergency transportation to the hospital for an evaluation and treatment. The medical durable power of attorney (MDPOA) was notified of the resident's fall, possible fracture and transportation to the hospital. The paramedics arrived at the facility at 3:55 p.m. and initiated pain relief. The resident was assisted onto the gurney for transportation and left for the hospital at 4:10 p.m. The risk management incident report read there was an obvious protrusion of the femur, just above the resident's right knee. According to the report, the protrusion did not break through the skin. Resident #1 had a large abraded (scraped) area to the left side of her forehead. The risk management incident report identified wandering as a predisposing situation factor that contributed to the 11/17/23 incident. The risk management incident report read the wander guard was cracked and not functioning. The batteries to the wander guard were dead and did not send a low battery signal to the computer system. The 11/17/23 facility investigation included the following staff witness statements: The witness report of the certified nurse aide with medication authority (CNA/MA) read Resident #1 was found face down with her head and shoulders over the bumper. Her left side of her face was bloody. She was rolled out of the (puddle) of water. The resident screamed not to be moved. The resident was pale, her leg looked bad and crooked. The witness report of CNA #5 read the resident was face down on the asphalt and her left side was bloody. The resident was screaming when her leg was moved. The resident was in much pain and her leg did not look right. The witness report of CNA #6 read she was not sure how the resident got outside because the resident did not know how to work the door. The CNA saw the resident a few minutes before the incident. The resident was by the doors and the CNA asked Resident #1 to come with her. The CNA assisted the resident down the hall to a table. Resident #1 flipped out of her wheelchair face down with the wheelchair on top of her. Registered nurse (RN) #2 attempted to straighten the resident's leg which was bent at the knee. The resident's bone could be felt through her pants. RN #2 told the CNA there was someone lying in the parking lot. She observed the resident on her back between two cars. The resident's leg was twisted at an odd angle. The staff proceed to take the resident's vital signs. The witness report of restorative nurse aide (RNA) #2 read after RNA #2 learned of Resident #1's fall, she tested the wander guard of Resident #1 on 11/18/23. The battery to the wander guard was dead which was why there was not an alert when the resident exited the facility on 11/17/23 and why the wander guard did not show up on the wander guard door monitoring system. The restorative department completed regular checks on the wander guards once or twice a month. The battery in Resident #1's wander guard was checked and replaced on 10/4/23 and on 10/17/23. The 11/18/23 communication note read the QAM received a call from Resident #1's MDPOA. The MDPOA informed the facility that Resident #1's femur was severely broken and she was in much pain. The QAM told the MDPOA the facility was investigating the incident and the CNAs were with her shortly before the accident. According to the note, the MDPOA was tearful and said she already ordered the cake for the resident's upcoming birthday. A wander guard check sheet was provided by the facility on 1/2/23. The wander guard check sheet identified weekly checks were conducted between 11/28/23 and 1/2/23 to determine if the wander guards in the facility and assigned to a resident were working properly. The 12/11/23 unannounced wander/missing resident drill record identified a second drill to find a missing resident was conducted on 12/11/23. The drill was conducted after the 11/17/23 incident with Resident #1. The record identified three staff members who participated in the drill and the resident was found after two minutes. The staff participation of the drill was low because the resident used in the drill was not a wandering risk (unlike Resident #1). The drill record read additional education would be provided to staff in January 2024. The 12/22/23 therapy note (over a month after the resident was discharged from the facility) read Resident #1 had an unwitnessed fall on 11/17/23. Staff were educated through a monthly all staff meeting through dial my call to remind staff to be aware of any residents exiting through doors and question and assist the resident to prevent potential injuries. The staff were informed of increased documentation and were educated on the wander guard system (see above). -However, some staff were not educated after the 11/17/23 incident (see staff interviews below). The wander guard system manual documented if a battery was low it would alternate between green and red. If a low battery indicator light was displayed on the wander guard, the batteries must be replaced within a week. Batteries were to be replaced when a low battery message was displayed (on the door panel) or when identified during routine tests with the magnetic wand (fob). The wander guard system manual read a low battery fault would appear when the device (wander guard) reaches a low battery state. The battery should be replaced as soon as possible before the battery was too depleted to power the device. Devices could fail due to moisture, electrical surges or other environmental factors. The wander guard system manual identified batteries were expected to last eight months under normal use. If the resident continually exercised the wander guard, the battery life would be less. The wander guards should not be stored more than 10 feet from the wander guard installation (exit door panels). The wander guards should be routinely checked for low batteries. The wander guard system set up procedure was provided by the facility on 1/2/23. The wander guard system procedure outlined steps on how to set up a new wander guard. IV. Observation The wander guards of Resident #2 and Resident #3 were tested on [DATE] at 10:15 a.m. The wander guards were attached to the bottom of the resident's wheelchairs. RNA #1 scanned both of the wander guard pendants with a fob. The indicator light on the wander guard flashed green identified the wandering guard was functioning properly. V. Staff interview The DON was interviewed on 1/2/23 at 10:40 a.m. The DON said after an incident such as a fall, the facility conducts an investigation. The staff looked at potential contributing factors such as the new medications or environment. She said the nurse or the CNA would look at the scene right after the fall and attempt to identify any environmental causation factors. The incident would then be reviewed in the next morning meeting with the interdisciplinary (IDT) so the whole team was aware of the concerns. The resident would be assessed for any appropriate safety devices and training of use as appropriate. The DON said the facility conducted a weekly risk management meeting to review incidents and find the root causes. She said the facility reviewed the video camera recording Resident #1's fall on the parking lot on 11/17/23. The DON said the video records showed a visitor letting the resident out of the facility from the main entrance. She said the resident was wearing a wander guard when she went out the door. The facility checked and determined the wander guard system was working properly but she was not she if Resident #1's wander guard was working when she went out the door and out to the parking lot. The DON said after the incident, the facility sent out a call to staff through a call system to remind staff to not to just open the doors for residents wanting to go outside. The DON said after the incident, the facility checked and ensured other residents' wander guards were working properly. The QAM was interviewed on 1/2/24 at 11:02 p.m. The nursing home administrator (NHA) entered the interview while in progress. The QAM said RN #2 informed her she was needed outside in the parking lot. The QAM said she went outside and saw Resident #1 lying in the parking lot with her head on the lap of a staff member. The resident had gone off the curb of the sidewalk with her wheelchair and hit the bumper of a parking space. Resident #1 was crying in pain while attempting to get up and said her leg was burning. The QAM said she could see there was a deformity to the resident's upper knee cap. She said they attempted to calm the resident down, took vitals, covered in blankets to help make her comfortable and called 911 informing them of a possible fracture to the resident's leg. The QAM said the ambulance arrived at the facility at 3:55 p.m. and Resident #1 was taken by ambulance to the hospital at 4:10 p.m. The QAM said the resident's MDPOA called her on the evening of 11/17/23 and told her Resident #1 had a fracture to her femur. The QAM said the resident's family member asked her if the resident was outside alone for a length of time. The QAM said she told the family member the facility was reviewing video camera footage but the interviewed CNAs said they were providing ADL care to the resident shortly before she went outside. She said the resident did not return to the facility. She said the resident did not return to the facility after the 11/17/23 accident. The NHA said the facility provided a timeline of the events to the resident's family. The QAM reviewed the facility investigation. Resident #1 had a wander guard attached to the bottom of the wheelchair that did not work when she exited the building on 11/17/23. She said video footage showed Resident #1 was at the front door at 3:10 p.m. CNA #6, entered the facility, spoke to the resident and redirected her down the hall to a location the resident liked to sit at. The QAM said at 3:20 p.m. the video footage showed the resident exited the facility when a visitor opened the front entrance doors. The visitor let the resident out the door and then walked away. She said there was a red stop sign on the entrance door that read to not let residents out of the door but the visitor let the resident out anyway. She said she did not recognize the visitor as someone who routinely was at the facility. The QAM said a facility vendor notified staff that a resident had fallen in the parking lot. The QAM said the CNA/MA was first to get to the resident at 3:30 p.m. The QAM said after the incident, staff were interviewed and the maintenance report was pulled to make sure the wander guard system attached to the doors were routinely checked. The maintenance report identified the wander guard system door panels were checked on 10/24/23 and then again on 11/17/23, after the incident. The QAM said all the wander guards in the facility were working with door panels on 10/24/23. The only concern identified was the wander guard of Resident #1 was not communicating with the door panel on 11/17/23 and did not sound the alarm when the resident exited the facility on 11/17/23. The wander guard did not sound the alarm after it was brought back into the facility after the resident went to the hospital. The QAM said after the incident the resident's wander guard and a crack in the plastic from edge to edge but felt the crack occurred when the resident fell and the wander guard caught the wheel of the wheelchair. The QAM said maintenance requests were reviewed and there was no requests or identified concerns regarding the wander guard of Resident #1. The QAM said Resident #1 wander guard was checked again on 11/18/23 and there was no battery power. The QAM said when there was a low battery the wander guard computer system was notified. The restorative department reviews the wander guard system and tests all the wander guards to ensure the wander guards were working. The restorative aides checked the wander guard one to two times a month and replaced the batteries as needed. The restorative department documented when they checked the wander guards for each resident who used the wander guards. The QAM said Resident #1's wander guard was last checked by the restorative department on 10/4/23 and 10/17/23 when her battery needed to be changed (see above). The QAM and the NHA said there might be a way to pull a report from the wander guard system tracking low batteries and alarm notifications but was not sure how. The NHA said she would follow up. The QAM said on 11/18/23 all staff received a call through the facility's call system to review the wander guard system procedure (see above). The 11/17/23 incident was reviewed in the risk management team meeting and again in the morning meeting with the IDT. The NHA said post incident notes were usually added to the resident's medical record in the progress notes for follow up but the resident was not going to return to the facility so the notes were not added. The QAM said a note was added to the resident chart on 12/22/23 (see above). The QAM said she did know why the therapy note was not added until 12/22/23. The NHA said the restorative department recently made improvements to the wander guard tracking documentation by creating a new spreadsheet format that streamlined and clarified the tracking and documenting process. The QAM said the restorative nursing aides (RNAs) increased the frequency of checking each wander guard after the 11/17/23 incident. She said the wander guards were now checked weekly. The QAM said another change after the 11/17/23 incident was the removal of excess signs at the front entrance to distract the eye. She said the main sign left at the front door as people were exiting was the stop sign with notification not to open the door for residents. The sign was now more centralized and easier to focus on without the other visual clutter. The NHA was interviewed again on 1/2/24 at 1:40 p.m. The NHA said the wander guard system vendor was contacted and an instruction webinar was set up for 1/3/23 to review all the components of the system including retrieving wander guard reports and notifications. The DON was interviewed on 1/2/24 at 3:05 p.m. The DON reviewed the record of Resident #1 and said the resident did not have an assessment for her wander guard but should have. The DON said Resident #1 should have been care planned for her wandering and elopement risk. The resident should have been care planned to direct staff on the resident's use of a wander guard, why the wander guard was in place and interventions to distract her from exit seeking. The DON said she was in process of training staff on the steps to take when a resident was determined to need a wander guard. The physical therapy assistant (PTA) was interviewed on 1/2/24 at 3:22 p.m. The PTA said she was responsible for overseeing the restorative department since November 2024. She said when a resident was at risk for elopement, a wander guard would be placed on the resident on a device the resident would use for mobility such as a wheelchair. When a resident with a wander guard to the exit of the facility, the wander guard would signal to the wander guard system door panel and an alarm would sound to alert all staff to the resident. The PTA said before she took over restorative oversight and before the 11/17/23 incident with Resident #1, the RNAs checked the batteries of the wander guards once a month. She said RNA #1 would document the monthly wander guard battery checks on each resident who used the wander guards. The PTA said after the 11/17/23 incident, she checked the wander guards weekly to ensure the wander guards were in place, functioning properly and to determine if batteries needed replacement. The PTA said the facility currently had four residents that used a wander guard. She said each wander guard would be checked by use of a wander guard fob. The fob would be placed next to the wander guard. If there was a green flashing light, the wander guard was working. If there was no green light, the wander guard batteries would need to be replaced. The PTA said she was taught that if a resident's wander guard battery was low, the resident's name should appear on the door panel. The PTA said the only way she knew to see when a battery was low was to physically check the wander guards or the door panels. She said on 1/3/23 she was scheduled to attend a webinar to learn if there were more ways to use the wander guard system more efficiently. She said until she receives additional training, she would continue to keep physically checking the wander guard system. The PTA said RNA #1 last checked all the wander guards on 12/27/23. RNA #1 was interviewed on 1/3/24 at 10:06 a.m. The RNA said the restorative department was responsible for checking all the wander guards. She said she has been a restorative aide for the past three years. RNA #1 said before the 11/17/23 incident, the wander guards were checked monthly. The RNA said wander guards were now checked weekly. She said she checked each wander guard with the fob but she could also go to all the exit doors and check the door panel. The RNA said the last time Resident #1's wander guard was checked before 11/17/23 was October 2023. She said on 10/4/23 the wander guard fob showed Resident #1's wander guard batteries were low so she replaced them. The RNA said on 10/17/23 a nurse informed her the wander guard was not working. The RNA said the batteries were dead so she changed them on 10/17/23. RNA #1 said the batteries in the wander guards usually lasted a while so she was surprised to have to change the batteries after a couple of weeks. She said she was provided the wander guard manual on 12/27/23 and read batteries could drain quickly if the resident was frequently near the exit and within the wander guard system radius. RNA #1 said if a wander guard indicator light would flash green and red during a fob test, the wander guard was low and the batteries would need to be changed within the week. RNA #1 said she would check the door panels every time she went through the doors to identify if the wander guard system was registering a wander guard low battery. She said she remembered seeing a low battery warning for Resident #1 on the door panel but could not remember if the warning was in October 2023 or the beginning of November 2023. She said the low battery warning on the door panel would remain on the door panel until it was physically cleared from the panel. She said she did not clear the door panel. RNA #1 said she has not received additional wander guard education from the facility after the 11/17/23 incident. She said RNA #2 had printed instructions on how to set up wander guards and handed the procedure to her and the maintenance director. RNA #1 said the instructions were provided to her before the 11/17/23 incident. The RNA said she and RNA #2 took it on themselves to start checking the wander guards more frequently after the 11/17/23 incident. The maintenance service director (MSD) was interviewed on 1/3/24 at 12:37 p.m. The MSD said she checked the wander guard door panels monthly to make sure the system was operating properly. She said she completed a webinar training this morning (1/3/24) and learned more about the wander guard system. She said she learned the wander guard system could be attached to the call light system in the facility and scan all the wander guards in the facility every 60 minutes. Since the systems could link, it allowed the facility to pull a report on how often the residents with the wander guards were near the exit doors. The MSD said the wander guard system could be set up so the facility's computer system so if there was a problem with the wander guard, the nurses and anyone else on the computer would get a notice of the wander guard problem. The MSD said currently the doors did not automatically lock when a resident with a wander guard was too close to the door. She said the facility was in the process of setting up the wander guard system to allow the doors to lock and not just sound an alarm. The MSD said the facility was in process of determining who could clear the door panel notifications of a low wander guard battery so only she and the administration could clear the notifications. The DON was interviewed on 1/3/24 at 12:58 p.m. The DON said verbal education was completed on 11/17/23 with the staff of duty at the time of Resident #1's incident. The DON said the QAM reminded staff to make sure they always knew where all the residents were an elopement risk. The DON said the facility had an elopement drill before 11/17/23 and again after 11/17/23 (see above). The DON said the restorative aides received training on how to properly check the wander guard system and inform the maintenance staff if a problem was identified. Registered nurse (RN) #1 was interviewed on 1/3/24 at 1:20 p.m. She said she did not have any residents with a wander guard in her hall and did not check if the wander guards were working. She said if a resident with a wander guard was too close to the door, she would try to find something for the resident to do in their room or in another part of the facility. She said if a resident continued to try to exit the doors, she would contact the family to see if they had additional ideas or could come into the facility to redirect the resident. Licensed practical nurse (LPN) #1 was interviewed on 1/3/24 at 1:39 p.m. The LPN said she did not have residents on her hall with a wander guard. She said she had not had elopement training but if she saw a resident go to the door she would ask the resident where they were going, walk with them away from the door and periodically check on the resident and the door. LPN #3 was interviewed on 1/3/24 at 1:44 p.m. He said he did not have a resident with a wander guard on his hall but if he did the resident should be monitored. He said if a resident continued to exit seek, the facility would place a wander guard on the resident. CNA #3 was interviewed on 1/3/24 at 2:32 p.m. He said if a resident tried to exit the facility with a wander guard, an alarm would sound. He said if the alarm sounded he would check the doors and redirect the resident. The NHA and the DON were interviewed again on 1/3/24 at 2:41 p.m. The NHA said during the 1/3/24 webinar, the facility learned the wander guard system could be improved by linking it to the call light system. The NHA said they were working on a way to lock the doors when a resident with a wander guard was close. She said the system currently did not lock the door, it only sounded an alarm. The NHA and the DON said if the doors locked when a resident with a wander guard was too close to the doors, then a visitor could not have let the resident out of the facility. The DON said the staff would have ongoing wander guard training to improve the frequency of checking the wander guards. She said all nursing staff should make sure the wander guards were operating properly. The DON said a broader education on the wander guard system would be conducted with the restorative department. She said wander guards were checked monthly before 11/17/23 and then checked weekly after the 11/17/23 incident but felt the wander guards should be checked daily. She said she would instruct staff to check all wander guards daily. The NHA said she wanted the nurses to check wander guards daily. She said the nurses would be provided a wander guard fob so they could make sure e[TRUNCATED]
CONCERN (E) 📢 Someone Reported This

A family member, employee, or ombudsman was alarmed enough to file a formal complaint

Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed

Resident Rights (Tag F0550)

Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents

**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observations and interviews, the facility failed to ensure care for residents was provided in a manner and in an enviro...

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**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observations and interviews, the facility failed to ensure care for residents was provided in a manner and in an environment that maintained or enhanced the residents' dignity and respect in full recognition of their individuality. Specifically, the facility failed to ensure residents did not wait for extended periods of time after the posted meal time to receive their meals. Findings include: I. Facility policy The Food and Nutrition Services policy, revised October 2017, was provided by the director of nursing (DON) on 1/3/23 at 2:00 p.m. read in pertinent: Meals and/or nutritional supplements will be provided within 45 minutes of either resident request or scheduled meal time and in accordance with the resident's medication requirements. Meals are scheduled at regular times to assure that each resident receives at least three meals per day. Meal times are posted in the facility common areas. II. Meal time posting A. Regular dining room meal time posting -Breakfast 7:00 a.m. -Lunch 12:00 p.m. -Dinner 5:00 p.m. B. Smaller dining room meal time posting -Breakfast 7:30 a.m. -Lunch 12:30 p.m. -Dinner 5:30 p.m. III. Meal observations on 1/2/24 A. Lunch -At 11:13 a.m., the certified nurse aides (CNAs) were taking residents orders in their rooms for lunch. -At 11:30 a.m., residents began sitting in both dining rooms. -At 11:35 a.m., the dietary aides (DAs) provided drinks to residents in the dining rooms. -At 11:47 a.m., the CNAs were still obtaining residents' orders for lunch. -At 12:00 p.m., licensed practical nurse (LPN) #2 asked an unidentified female CNA if the residents were eating yet. The unidentified CNA laughed and said no, I guarantee they will not eat until 2:00 p.m. -At 12:07 p.m., 11 residents were waiting for their lunches in the main dining room and 10 residents were waiting for their lunches in the smaller dining room. -At 12:13 p.m., a meal cart was being loaded by DA #1 in the kitchen. -At 12:18 p.m., Resident #15 was falling asleep at the table in the smaller dining room. There were 11 residents in the main dining room and 13 residents in the smaller dining room still waiting for their lunch. DA #1 continued loading up the meal cart. -At 12:22 p.m., the first meal cart left the kitchen and went to a separate building. -At 12:24 p.m., another meal cart was being loaded with trays by DA #1. -At 12:26 p.m., two more residents joined the main dining room. Thirteen residents in the main dining room and thirteen residents in the smaller dining room continued waiting for their lunch. -At 12:30 p.m., another meal cart was ready with lunch trays and went to be served on Elm Hallway. One resident's lunch was served in the main dining room. -At 12:33 p.m., DA #1 retrieved more meal tickets from the main dining room to make residents' plates. -At 12:37 p.m., Resident #14 and an unidentified resident received their lunches but needed assistance from staff and waited for staff to become available. -At 12:40 p.m., CNA #1 assisted Resident #8 and Resident #13 with eating at the same time. -At 12:44 p.m., CNA #4 sat down to assist Resident #14 with her lunch and an unidentified female CNA sat down to assist the unidentified resident with eating. -At 12:45 p.m., five meals were delivered to residents in the smaller dining room. -At 12:47 p.m., an unidentified female CNA assisted Resident #8 with eating while CNA #1 continued assisting Resident #13 with her lunch. -At 12:50 p.m., all residents in the main dining room received their lunch. -At 12:56 p.m., a meal cart went to residents on Birch Hallway. -At 12:58 p.m., another meal cart was being loaded with trays by DA #1. -At 1:06 p.m., all residents in the smaller dining room were served lunch. -At 1:20 p.m., a meal cart was sent to Fir Hallway. -At 1:25 p.m., a meal cart was sent to Aspen Hallway. The lunch was completed at 1:25 p.m. B. Dinner -At 4:58 p.m., eight residents were in the main dining room and seven residents were in the smaller dining room. An unidentified DA was in the main dining room still filling out meal tickets for dinner. -At 5:00 p.m., two meals went to a separate dining room for two residents who needed extra supervision during dinner. -At 5:18 p.m., there were 12 residents in the main dining room and 10 residents in the smaller dining room. Dinner had not started service yet. -At 5:24 p.m., a meal cart went out to a separate building. -At 5:28 p.m., two meals were served in the main dining room. -At 5:31 p.m., a meal cart was served to Elm Hallway. -At 5:33 p.m., one resident still waited for their meal in the main dining room and the smaller dining room began receiving the meal. -At 5:43 p.m., an unidentified resident in the main dining room went to the kitchen door and asked DA #1 why she had not received her dinner yet. DA #1 was unable to locate her meal ticket and asked her what she ordered so he could make her meal. -At 5:47 p.m., the main dining room was served all their dinner meal. -At 5:59 p.m., the small dining room was served all their dinner meal. -At 6:01 p.m., a meal cart was served to Birch Hallway. -At 6:12 p.m., the dietary manager (DM) asked where the other meal cart was because he needed it to serve another hallway. -At 6:14 p.m., the meal cart was returned from the separate building and the DM loaded up trays on it. -At 6:17 p.m., a meal cart was sent to Aspen Hallway. -At 6:28 p.m., the final meal cart was sent to Fir Hallway. The dinner service was completed at 6:28 p.m. V. Resident and representative interviews Resident #4 was interviewed on 1/2/24 at 10:04 a.m. She said most meals were late because the facility was short staffed. She said the longest she waited for a meal was around 30 minutes. Resident #5 was interviewed on 1/2/24 at 10:49 a.m. She said meals were sometimes late. A representative for Resident #6 was interviewed on 1/2/24 at 10:57 a.m. She said most of the meals were served late. She said occasionally the residents received their meals only ten minutes late but for the most part meals were over an hour late. She said lunch on 1/1/24 was over two hours late. Resident #15 was interviewed on 1/2/24 at 2:01 p.m. He said meals were usually late and his lunch was late that day. Resident #16 was interviewed on 1/2/24 at 5:18 p.m. She said meals were always late. She said she was the resident council president and brought up meals being late numerous times but nothing was fixed. She said when the meals were late they arrived to the residents cold or lukewarm. She said she discussed the meal concerns with the DM in the food committee meeting as well and nothing was fixed. She said every time she brought up the concerns in resident council or the food committee she was always told we are working on it but she could not see any changes or improvements. VI. Record review The food committee notes were provided by the DM on 1/3/23 at 2:30 p.m. The only legible notes were from 12/5/23 and documented cold food, dinner served at 7:30 p.m. The resident council notes were provided by the DON on 1/2/23 at 10:00 a.m. The resident council notes for October 2023 documented the residents had concerns about dietary and asked the DM to attend the meeting. The residents requested to have menu items simplified and described as the dietary staff who served the meals were not always able to explain what was on the menu. The resident council notes for November 2023 documented the residents had concerns about their tablemates being served at separate times and wanted all meals to come out at the same time. The DM was aware of the concerns and was monitoring the residents' concerns. The resident council notes for December 2023 documented the residents reported there were struggles at times will all residents at the same table being served at the same time. The nursing home administrator (NHA) informed the residents that management was assisting with dietary issues and concerns. There had been a contract dining service company that was being retrained and the NHA would follow up with the residents at the next resident council meeting. The company working on organizational skills and training of staff. VII. Staff interviews Nurse aide (NA) #1 was interviewed on 1/2/24 at 12:17 p.m. She said she had not been at the facility long but that meals were sometimes late. Licensed practical nurse (LPN) #2 was interviewed on 1/2/24 at 2:22 p.m. She said meals were usually late. She said on 1/1/24 Elm Hallway received their lunch trays about two hours late. CNA #2 was interviewed on 1/2/24 at 2:23 p.m. She said meals went to the separate building first, then residents who needed help were served, then the dining rooms and then the hallways. The director of nursing (DON) was interviewed on 1/2/24 at 4:30 p.m. She said she was working on a contract with an outside dietary team that would come into the facility and retrain the kitchen staff, which would ensure the kitchen prepared meals ahead of time, meals were textured correctly and meals were served on time and more efficiently. She said she was still working on negotiations with the outside agency. She said timely meals had been an issue for quite some time and they were aware of the concerns. She said late meals were not just a certain meal but were all over the board. The DON said the late meals caused a [NAME] effect on resident care from the nursing staff because they worked on their tasks later due to assisting with serving meals later. She said the DM was provided additional education in December 2023 and some concerns had been fixed but not timely meals. She said she felt they had enough staff to run the kitchen. The registered dietitian was interviewed on 1/3/24 at 10:44 a.m. She said she knew meals were late from time to time but did not think it was consistently a problem. DA #1 and DA #2 were interviewed on 1/3/24 at 10:15 a.m. DA #1 said once the residents arrived to the dining room their meal tickets were turned into the kitchen to be plated. He said the separate building was served first, then Elm Hallway, the Sunshine dining room (separate dining rooms for residents who needed extra supervision), the main dining room, the small dining room, Birch Hallway, Aspen Hallway, then Fir Hallway. He said meals being served late was pretty normal for the facility. DA #2 said lunch was served by 12:30 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. but lately it had gotten worse. She said it was frustrating for staff and the residents. She said dinner ran out of food items a lot and the menu was changed to accommodate what the kitchen had. DA #1 said the facility needed a backup kitchen supervisor or dietary manager to help the kitchen out. He said the DM seemed overwhelmed and the DAs expressed their concerns to him but nothing changed. DA #1 said the kitchen needed prep cooks not just back up cooks so they could prepare food well before the meal was to be served. DA #1 and DA #2 said the residents complained about meals being late all the time and they were always told I am working on it by the DM when concerns or suggestions were brought to the DM's attention. DA #2 said lunch was not served until about 2:10 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. and her shift ended at 2:30 p.m. She said got off late because lunch was served late and she had to catch up on her job duties before she left. DA #1 said sometimes at the end of a meal being served they noticed a resident did not get a plate because their meal ticket was missing. DA #1 said if he found out a resident did not receive a plate he made one as soon as possible but a resident could not get a plate at all if it was not caught by staff to have a plate made. The DM was interviewed on 1/3/24 at 11:16 a.m. He said being in a nursing home setting was very challenging. He said he hosted the food committee meetings once a month and usually the complaints came from the same handful of residents. He said his biggest concerns with the kitchen was late and cold meals. He said he did not believe he had enough staff to run the kitchen. He said dinner should be served at 5:00 p.m. and the kitchen should be done with service by 6:00 p.m. He said the CNAs did not come to the dining room timely to assist residents with eating which caused the kitchen team to serve the hallways first on those days. He said the kitchen always served at 5:00 p.m. but the CNAs needed to be in the dining room before they could serve meals. He said the kitchen served the separate building first, then Elm hall, small dining room, main dining room, Birch Hallway, Aspen Hallway and the Fir Hallway. He said dinner on 1/2/24 was really late because he waited for a meal cart to be returned to the kitchen to fill with trays. He said the kitchen needed three meal carts or hotboxes to efficiently serve meals on time in the facility and he only had two meal carts. He said the kitchen did not receive help from the CNAs when it came to serving meals. He said he talked to the nursing home administrator about his concerns and what the kitchen needed to run more efficiently however it was a round table discussion and he did not have solutions to fix the problem yet. He said he recommended the kitchen staff rotate which hallways were served in what order and that he was told no by management.
Dec 2022 4 deficiencies 2 Harm
SERIOUS (G)

Actual Harm - a resident was hurt due to facility failures

Free from Abuse/Neglect (Tag F0600)

A resident was harmed · This affected 1 resident

**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, record review and interviews, the facility failed to ensure that all residents were free from abuse, negle...

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**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, record review and interviews, the facility failed to ensure that all residents were free from abuse, neglect, and exploitation, for two residents (#14 and #420) in two allegations of abuse of five allegations reviewed out of 26 sample residents. Specifically, the facility failed to provide adequate supervision and effective interventions to prevent repeated incidents of resident-to-resident verbal altercations between Residents #14 and #420. Resident #420 and Resident #14 were roommates at one point in time while living in the same facility. As time went by the two stopped getting along, and Resident #14 moved to a new room on the opposite side of the facility. Still Resident #420 continued to target Resident #14 when he saw him in common areas. Resident #420, based on documentation in the resident's records, was very angry and specifically targeted Resident #14 and some other female residents who also lived in the facility. Several residents expressed not liking the way Resident #420 treated them and other residents in the facility. For Resident #420 being in the same space with Resident #14 triggered increased anger. The facility documented two significant events of verbal abuse from Resident #420 towards Resident #14 where Resident #420 launched verbal attacks upon Resident #14. Both of these events, one occurring on 9/22/22 and the other on 10/22/22, were seemingly unprovoked per facility documentation. Facility documentation in both resident records and in the facility's incident investigations revealed that in neither of the incidents listed above did Resident #14 provoke Resident #420 in any way to start the verbal altercation. Resident #420's verbal abuse of Resident #14 increased to the point where Resident #14 expressed feeling bullied and unsafe living in the facility while Resident #420 also lived in the facility. On 9/22/22 Resident #14's mother got involved to step between the two residents as Resident #420 wheeled his manual wheelchair in close proximity to Resident #14 while yelling, threatening and waving his arms in a threatening manner, all directed towards Resident #14. On 10/22/22 Resident #420 again chased Resident #14 down and followed Resident #14 outside to yell and verbally threaten Resident #14. Resident #420 tried to hold back Resident #14's power wheelchair to prevent Resident #14 from getting away from him in the altercation. However, Resident #420 did not let go of Resident #14's wheelchair as he pulled away and Resident #420 fell out of his manual wheelchair and fractured his hip, for which he required surgical intervention to repair the fracture. Resident #420 was discharged after this incident. Findings include: I. Facility policy The Abuse Prevention, Investigation, and Reporting policy, dated November 2022, was provided by the nursing home administrator (NHA) on 12/19/22 at 9:02 a.m. It read in pertinent part: The resident has the right to be free from abuse (including verbal, mental, sexual and physical), neglect, misappropriation of resident property and exploitation. Management will take specific steps to reduce the potential for abuse to occur at Larchwood Inns including, but not limited to education, monitoring and investigating thoroughly if abuse, misappropriation, neglect, or exploitation is suspected. Verbal abuse is defined as any use of oral, written, or gestured language that willfully includes disparaging and derogatory terms to residents or their families, or within their hearing distance, regardless of their age, ability to comprehend, or disability. II. Resident #14 A. Resident status Resident #14, under the age [AGE], was admitted on [DATE]. According to the December 2022 computerized physician's orders (CPO), diagnoses included multiple sclerosis, depression, and quadriplegia (paralysis of all limbs). The 9/28/22 minimum data set (MDS) assessment revealed the resident had intact cognition as evidenced by a brief interview for the mental status (BIMS) score of 13 out of 15; did not present with inattention or disorganized thinking during conversations; and was not verbally or physical aggressive towards others. The resident did not walk and used a power wheelchair to get around the community independently. The resident needed extensive to full assistance from staff to complete activities of daily living (ADLs) including transferring from surface to surface. The resident was on daily antidepressant medication. B. Record review The resident comprehensive care plan, dated 9/22/22, revealed the resident had a care focus for behavior, which documented Resident #14 had a history of paranoia and verbal aggression towards others. The resident often accused others of stealing his belongings. Additionally the resident had the potential for impaired psychosocial well being related to adjusting to lifestyle changes of facility life. This caused the resident to have difficulties getting along with a roommate. Relevant interventions included: Provide education on resident rights; Listen to resident concerns and address timely; Offer opportunities for interaction with other residents with similar interests. -There was no care focus or interventions to help staff work with Resident #14 prevent reoccurrence of verbal alterations initiated by Resident #420 towards Resident #14 (see below). III. Resident #420 A. Resident status Resident #420, age [AGE] years old, was admitted on [DATE] and discharged on 10/22/22 to the hospital for surgery then to another long term care facility. According to the October 2022 CPO, diagnoses included diabetes mellitus, heart failure, and history of stroke. The 9/13/22 minimum data set (MDS) assessment revealed the resident had intact cognition as evidenced by a brief interview for the mental status (BIMS) score of 14 out of 15; did not present with inattention or disorganized thinking during conversations; and was verbally aggressive towards others. The resident did not walk and used a manual wheelchair to get around the community independently. The resident needed extensive to full assistance from staff to complete activities of daily living (ADLs) including transferring from surface to surface. The resident was not on any antipsychotic medications. B. Record review The resident comprehensive care plan, dated 4/5/22, revealed the resident had a care focus for behavior, which documented episodes of cursing and yelling at staff and other residents. Interventions included: Monitor for significant changes in daily participation; Listen to concerns and address them timely; Offer counseling services as needed; Notify physician of unexpected changes in behavior; Offer reassurance; Follow up as needed with roommate; Ensure Resident #420 has preferred staff. If resident #420 becomes verbally/physically aggressive, ensuring he is in a safe position/place; Get another staff member to assist as appropriate and provide one to one observation-staff to be within line of sight of the resident as needed. -There were no patterns of verbal aggression or interventions identified in relation to Resident #420's verbal aggressions towards other residents. Additional care plan focuses included: mood disorder, which documented Resident #420 had verbal aggression, which appeared to be a symptom of depression; and a potential for impaired psychosocial wellbeing and or adjustment to lifestyle changes when moving into the facility, which included problems getting along with a new roommate. Relevant interventions included: Notify physicians in changes in mood; Encourage socialization; reassure resident safety when concerned with others; Listen to concerns and address them in a timely manner; Redirect when requesting personal information about another resident; Review need for psychotropic medication as needed. IV. Resident interviews Resident #420 was no longer in the facility and an interview with the resident was not possible. Resident #14 was interviewed on 12/22/22 at 4:22 p.m. Resident #14 said he did not feel staff acted to protect him the day Resident #420 chased me down. Resident #14 said staff saw Resident #420 yelling and waving his hands around but did not respond until it was too late. Resident #14 said on 10/22/22, Resident #420 was at the end of the hall, he came at me and started yelling and waving fists around like he was going to hit me. Resident #14 said he decided to get out of the situation by putting his electric wheelchair into drive to get away from Resident #420. Resident #14 said Resident #420 thought he could hold me back with one arm but he flipped out of his wheelchair and he broke his leg. I went past him and did not say anything to him because it would have made things worse. Resident #14 said staff did not respond to the incident until Resident #420 was on the floor and had to be sent to the hospital. Resident #14 said after the event was over the staff told him Resident #420 broke his leg when he fell out of his wheelchair. Resident #14 said he did not think he was in the wrong; because he was just trying to get out of the situation when Resident #420 was trying to hold him back. No one can hold back an electric chair with one leg and one arm. Resident #14 said Resident #420 had been making smart remarks to him for the past several months leading up to the 10/22/22 incident. At first they were friends, but when Resident #420 went out for surgery over the summer (mid-June and July 2022) and came back to the facility things changed, and that was when the bullying began. Resident #14 said since Resident #420 moved to a new facility he felt safe living in the facility, and was relieved that no one was going to attack him any longer. V. Resident to resident altercations Review of Resident #14 and Resident #420's incident investigations revealed the following information: A. 9/6/22 altercation Resident #14-a behavior occurrence note dated 9/6/22 at 11:25 p.m. documented, Staff heard yelling from residents' room. Resident and his roommate were yelling at each other about the roommate's television being too loud. Resident was trying to sleep. Both men were yelling obscenities at each other. Resident #14 stopped when asked, but started again when his roommate continued to mutter and yell. Resident #14 did stop after being asked to several times. Neither one is able to physically approach the other due to mobility (when out of their wheelchairs). They agreed to stop and discuss with social services in the morning. Resident #14-a behavior occurrence note dated 9/7/22 at 12:16 p.m. documented, Follow up regarding roommate disagreement.Roommates were arguing and cussing at each other related to television and music choices. Roommate and Resident #14 were offered a different room/roommate, roommate refused but Resident #14 agreed and was showed room options and plans to move were placed. Staff will continue to monitor behaviors and redirect as needed. B. 9/8/22 altercation Resident #420-a behavior occurrence note dated 9/8/22 at 2:23 p.m. documented in part, Resident #420 yelled at his roommate during lunch in the commons area. This writer spoke with Resident #420 regarding inappropriate behavior and anger management dealing with other residents and staff. Resident denies yelling at staff and treating them rudely. Resident #420-a behavior occurrence note dated 9/9/22 at 10:11 a.m., late entry, documented, Spoke with Resident #420 concerning outburst and inappropriate behavior in the common area. Resident #420 was very angry and resisted taking any responsibility calling others liars. Resident #420 complained about other people in the facility. This writer explained that was their home also and they have rights to be comfortable and secure in their home. Resident #420 stated maybe he would just move out. C. 9/14/22 altercation Resident #420 a behavior occurrence noted dated 9/14/22 at 8:30 p.m. documented, Resident #420 observed screaming at another resident today during lunch due to dislike for increase in television (TV) volume. Resident did request politely that she not turn up the TV, but was instigated by the other resident. She was observed turning up the volume to television while looking at him. She then proceeds to return to her table stating, 'I'm sorry but it's just got to be done. These ladies here could not hear.' Situation escalated quickly, as resident shouted, '(Expletive) you, you (expletive)!' 'You don't run this place!' This RN (registered nurse) to immediately intervene and de-escalate the situation. Resident extremely red in the face and agitated as he was moving towards television to turn it down. He continued yelling and now directing at this RN, 'I don't want to talk to you, or anyone! You got that?' D. 9/22/22 altercation A verbal altercation occurred on 9/22/22 from 4:30 p.m. to 4:54 p.m. The facility reported an allegation of verbal abuse between two residents and filed an online police report to the local police revealing Resident #14 as the victim and Resident #420 as the assailant. The facility incident report read Resident #14 (resident name) and his mother were on the back patio visiting. At the conclusion of the visit. Resident #14 escorted his mother to the front door when Resident #420 came around the pillar in the commons area and began to yell at resident #14 and his mother stating 'I'm going to knock you out.' Resident #420 counted to yell and curse at Resident #14. Resident #14's mother was afraid that something was going to happen and stepped in front of her son. Resident #420 continued to curse and make threats towards Resident #14. Facility staff arrived, instructed Resident #420 to stop yelling, and intervened allowing Resident #14 and his mother to leave the area without further incident. Resident #420 continued to make comments that he was going to 'beat the (expletive) out of Resident #14' 'I can inflict damage on him' 'I can hurt him real bad.' The residents were separated by staff members and Resident #420 will be in line of sight by a staff member while out of his room. Resident #14 was interviewed on 9/22/22 at 5:00 p.m., just after the incident. Resident #14 said he felt that Resident #420's words placed him in harm. Staff interviews revealed no staff witnessed what led up to the verbal altercation. Resident interviews revealed several residents were aware that Resident #420 had a temper and was verbally aggressive towards other residents, including Resident #14 and the ladies who were watching television in the common room. Resident #420 was interviewed on 9/22/22 at 5:22 p.m. just after the incident. Resident #420 said Resident #14 made threats two weeks ago and was lucky that he did not beat the (expletive) out of Resident #14 for it. Resident #420 denied threatening Resident #14 but added that he could inflict harm on Resident #14 and hurt him. Resident #45 was interviewed on 9/23/22 at 11:21 p.m. Resident #45 remembered a lot of yelling and name calling during the verbal altercation between Resident #420 and #14; and said she did not like it but was getting used to their verbal aggressions. E. 9/29/22 altercation Resident #420-a behavior occurrence note dated 9/29/22 at 8:14 a.m. documented Resident #420 was yelling for help at the breakfast table. Resident #420 was cussing and asked if another resident could be moved, after the other resident propelling backward in her wheelchair and lightly bumping into Resident #420's wheelchair. Resident #420 was angry. Staff were not able to redirect Resident #420, he just became increasingly more angry, so staff removed the other resident who was the target of Resident #420's anger from the area. Resident #420-a mental health note dated 10/12/22 late note entry documented, Resident angry and frustrated, but unable to articulate why. Asked him about his increased aggression and verbal abuse towards others. He claims to 'not remember', has very little insight into how his behavior affects others. Is able to talk about feelings in the moment, but unable to apply them to real life/next day scenarios. F. 10/22/22 altercation resulting in physical injury A verbal altercation occurred on 10/22/22 at approximately 2:30 p.m. between Resident #420 and #14. The facility reported an allegation of verbal abuse between the two residents revealing Resident #14 as the victim and Resident #420 as the assailant. The facility incident report documented, On 10/22/22 at approximately 2:30 p.m., staff were called out to the back patio. Resident #420 and Resident #14 had been in an altercation and Resident #420 had fallen out of his manual wheelchair. When staff attempted to move Resident #420 he cried out in pain in his left hip. Resident was sent to the emergency room for assessment. An investigation into the events leading up to Resident #420 falling out of his wheelchair revealed Resident #420 started a verbal attack on Resident #14, and in Resident #14's attempts to distance himself from this verbal abuse he engaged his power wheelchair and took off. Before leaving the area Resident #420 grabbed onto Resident #14's power wheelchair and did not let go as Resident #14 pulled away. This caused Resident #420 to fall out of his chair and injure himself. Resident #14 was interviewed on 10/22/22, just after the incident. Resident #14 said Resident #420 started yelling stuff and he tried to get away but Resident #420 followed him and grabbed the back of his power wheelchair. Resident #14 said he told Resident #420 to let go and he moved forward and saw Resident #420 on the ground when he looked back. Resident #14 said he went inside to get staff help. Resident #14 was interviewed a second time on 10/22/22 at 3:10 p.m. Resident #14 said Resident #420 was harassing and threatening him. He attempted to get away from Resident #420 by going outside, but Resident #420 followed him to the patio and would not stop badgering him. Resident #14 said Resident #420 was calling him names and threatened to knuckle him up. Resident #14 said he did not realize Resident #420 had a hold of the back of his wheelchair and when he moved forward Resident #420's wheelchair tipped over and Resident #420 fell on the ground. Resident #14 denied any instances of physical altercation between the two of them. Staff interviews revealed no staff witnessed what led up to the verbal altercation, the verbal altercation, or how Resident #420 ended up on the ground. Resident interviews revealed several residents were aware that Resident #420 had a temper and was verbally aggressive towards other residents, including Resident #14 and the ladies who were watching television in the common room. Resident #420 was interviewed the day after the event at the hospital after undergoing surgery to repair a hip fracture. Resident #420 recalled reaching out to grab Resident #14's wheelchair but did not recall anything that occurred after that. Resident #420 did not comment on the verbal alteration he had with Resident #14. Other resident interviews revealed: -Resident #45 said Resident #420 had a bad temper and was always cursing at other residents including Resident #14. All Resident #14 was doing, at the time, was going outside to enjoy the sunshine. -Resident #40 said Resident #420 had a bad temper. On 10/22/22 Resident #420 was watching Resident #14 as he went from the dining room table to the back patio and he followed. Resident #40 said he tried to stop Resident #420 from going after Resident #14 but by the time he got to the patio, Resident #420 was already on the ground. He did not see what happened. -Resident #27 said Resident #420 was yelling something at Resident #14 and following Resident #14 outside. Resident #27 did not see what happened. Resident #14-a mental health counseling note dated 10/26/22 at 4:41 p.m. documented, Resident #14 needed to process feelings related to an altercation he had with another resident. He felt attacked and bullied and unsafe by this other resident. This person is not currently in the building for a few days. Was able to process feelings around it. Will see him again. He gave writer permission to tell the social services director (SSD) he felt unsafe and threatened. Resident #14-a mental health counseling note dated 11/3/22 at 4:57 p.m. documented, Resident #14 processing feelings from recent altercation. Verbalized feeling relief that he will not be at risk for being bullied again by that resident. Processed feelings and emotions. VI. Staff interviews The SSD was interviewed on 10/22/22 at 3:33 p.m. The SSD said Residents #14 and #420 were roommates, but they started to have disagreements and the facility offered each the opportunity for a room move. Resident #14 took the offer and moved to an entirely different unit to distance himself from Resident #420. The two were also distanced in the dining room but still had verbal altercations. Resident #420 was presented with a behavioral agreement. The behavioral contract asked for Resident #420 to sign an agreement that he would interact with others in a dignified manner, and refrain from verbal altercations including making threatening comments, cursing or yelling at other residents. The contract also asked Resident #420 to refrain from physically aggressive acts, such as raising his arms or hands in a threatening manner towards others, and requesting staff assistance to handle conflicts. This contract was signed by Resident #420 on 9/26/22. The SSD said Resident #420 signed the behavioral agreement without concern because he felt the agreement actions were things he was already doing, and did not need to change his behavior because he was not the one in the wrong. Both residents were offered in-house counseling services and were participating in regular individual counseling sessions. In the interim, staff were instructed to provide Resident #420 with every-15-minute checks, interventions and redirection when observed to present with any aggressive behaviors towards other residents. The interdisciplinary team (IDT) met to discuss interactions between Residents #420 and #14 and felt the established interventions were sufficient to protect the residents from repeated verbal abuse.
SERIOUS (G)

Actual Harm - a resident was hurt due to facility failures

Pressure Ulcer Prevention (Tag F0686)

A resident was harmed · This affected 1 resident

**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on record review, observations, and interviews, the facility failed to ensure two (#60 and #47) of four residents reviewed...

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**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on record review, observations, and interviews, the facility failed to ensure two (#60 and #47) of four residents reviewed for pressure injuries received care and services, consistent with professional standards of practice, to prevent development and promote healing of pressure injuries, out of 26 sample residents. Resident #60, who was at risk for wound development due to immobility, admitted to the facility on [DATE] with diagnoses of cerebral infarction (stroke), hemiplegia/hemiparesis (paralysis), enteral feeding, dysphagia and excoriation to her coccyx/sacrum. Resident #60 developed and redeveloped wounds to her sacral area (see record review below). On 11/16/22 Resident #60 developed a stage 3 wound to her coccyx/sacrum. The facility failed to complete weekly wound assessments in their entirety to promote wound healing from 11/16/22 to 12/9/22. The registered nurse/wound nurse (RNWN) said she completed wound treatments every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and the facility had a wound protocol which they followed (see interview below). However, review of Resident #60's physician orders revealed the facility failed to implement wound care orders. The facility's wound protocol documented four different treatments that could be utilized if a resident had a stage 3 wound and staff interviews revealed they would review the progress notes and apply whatever dressing the RNWN previously applied (see interview and record review below). Review of Resident #60's treatment administration record (TAR) revealed no documentation of any treatment being provided for the months of October, November or December of 2022. Furthermore, the facility failed to implement preventative measures (air mattress) for Resident #60 in a timely manner until 12/9/22, three weeks after the wound development. Additionally, the facility failed to ensure weekly wound assessments were completed for Resident #47. Findings include: I. Professional references A. Pressure ulcer classification According to the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel and Pan Pacific Pressure Injury Alliance Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Ulcers: Clinical Practice Guideline, [NAME] Haesler (Ed.), Cambridge Media: [NAME] Park, Western Australia; 2014, retrieved from https://www.ehob.com/media/2018/04/prevention-and-treatment-of-pressure-ulcers-clinical-practice-guidline.pdf on 12/27/22, pressure ulcer classification is as follows: Category/Stage 1: Nonblanchable Erythema Intact skin with non-blanchable redness of a localized area usually over a bony prominence. Darkly pigmented skin may not have visible blanching; its color may differ from the surrounding area. The area may be painful, firm, soft, warmer or cooler as compared to adjacent tissue. Category/Stage 1 may be difficult to detect in individuals with dark skin tones. May indicate 'at risk' individuals (a heralding sign of risk). Category/Stage 2: Partial Thickness Skin Loss Partial thickness loss of dermis presenting as a shallow open ulcer with a red pink wound bed, without slough. May also present as an intact or open/ruptured serum-filled blister. Presents as a shiny or dry shallow ulcer without slough or bruising. This Category/Stage should not be used to describe skin tears, tape burns, perineal dermatitis, maceration or excoriation. Bruising indicates suspected deep tissue injury. Category/Stage 3: Full Thickness Skin Loss Full thickness tissue loss. Subcutaneous fat may be visible but bone, tendon or muscle are not exposed. Slough may be present but does not obscure the depth of tissue loss. May include undermining and tunneling. The depth of a Category/Stage 3 pressure ulcer varies by anatomical location. The bridge of the nose, ear, occiput and malleolus do not have subcutaneous tissue and Category/Stage 3 ulcers can be shallow. In contrast, areas of significant adiposity can develop extremely deep Category/Stage 3 pressure ulcers. Bone/tendon is not visible or directly palpable. Category/Stage 4: Full Thickness Tissue Loss Full thickness tissue loss with exposed bone, tendon or muscle. Slough or eschar may be present on some parts of the wound bed. Often include undermining and tunneling. The depth of a Category/Stage 4 pressure ulcer varies by anatomical location. The bridge of the nose, ear, occiput and malleolus do not have subcutaneous tissue and these ulcers can be shallow. Category/Stage 4 ulcers can extend into muscle and/or supporting structures (fascia, tendon or joint capsule) making osteomyelitis possible. Exposed bone/tendon is visible or directly palpable. Unstageable: Depth Unknown Full thickness tissue loss in which the base of the ulcer is covered by slough (yellow, tan, gray, green or brown) and/or eschar (tan, brown or black) in the wound bed. Until enough slough and/or eschar is removed to expose the base of the wound, the true depth, and therefore Category/Stage, cannot be determined. Stable (dry, adherent, intact without erythema or fluctuance) eschar on the heels serves as the body's natural (biological) cover and should not be removed. Suspected Deep Tissue Injury: Depth Unknown Purple or maroon localized area of discolored intact skin or blood-filled blister due to damage of underlying soft tissue from pressure and/or shear. The area may be preceded by tissue that is painful, firm, mushy, boggy, warmer or cooler as compared to adjacent tissue. Deep tissue injury may be difficult to detect in individuals with dark skin tones. Evolution may include a thin blister over a dark wound bed. The wound may further evolve and become covered by thin eschar. Evolution may be rapid, exposing additional layers of tissue even with optimal treatment. B. Pressure injury interventions According to the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel and Pan Pacific Pressure Injury Alliance Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Ulcers: Clinical Practice Guideline, [NAME] Haesler (Ed.), Cambridge Media: [NAME] Park, Western Australia; 2014, from https://www.ehob.com/media/2018/04/prevention-and-treatment-of-pressure-ulcers-clinical-practice-guidline.pdf (12/9/21), Skin assessment is crucial in pressure ulcer prevention because skin status is identified as a significant risk factor for pressure ulcer development. The skin can serve as an indicator of early pressure damage. Skin and tissue assessment underpins the selection and evaluation of appropriate preventive interventions. Interventions for Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Ulcers: Five sections of the guideline present interventions that are used for both prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers. Nutrition, repositioning and early mobilization, addressing heel pressure, support surfaces and medical device management are all areas of care that are implemented both as a preventive measure, and to promote healing of existing pressure ulcers. Nutrition for Pressure Ulcer Prevention and Treatment Multivariable analyses of epidemiological data indicate that a poor nutritional status, indicated by low body weight or poor dietary intake among other signs, is a factor that impacts upon pressure ulcer risk. All individuals at risk of pressure ulcers should have their nutritional status screened. A comprehensive assessment should be conducted where risk of malnutrition is identified, and in individuals with existing pressure ulcers. Repositioning and Early Mobilization Repositioning involves a change of position in the lying or seated individual, with the purpose of relieving or redistributing pressure and enhancing comfort. Repositioning and its frequency should be considered in all at-risk individuals and must take into consideration the condition of the individual and the support surface in use. Repositioning should maintain the individual's comfort, dignity and functional ability. Repositioning to Prevent and Treat Heel Pressure Ulcers Heel pressure ulcers are a challenge to prevent and manage. The small surface area of the heel is covered by a small volume of subcutaneous tissue that can be exposed to high mechanical load in individuals on bedrest. It is important to conduct regular inspection and correct positioning in order to relieve heel pressure while avoiding potential complications such as Achilles tendon damage, foot drop and deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Support Surfaces Support surfaces are specialized devices for pressure redistribution and management of tissue load and microclimate. The importance of using a high specification pressure redistribution support surface in all individuals at risk of pressure ulcers or with existing pressure ulcers is highlighted. Medical Device Related Pressure Ulcers Individuals with a medical device in situ are at a high risk of pressure ulcers related to the device. These pressure ulcers often conform to the pattern or shape of the device and develop due to prolonged, unrelieved pressure on the skin, often contributed to by associated moisture around the device, impaired sensation or perfusion and/or local edema, as well as systemic factors. Assessment of skin that is placed at risk due to a medical device is highlighted. II. Facility policy and procedures The Wound Care Standards policy and procedure, reviewed in October 2022, was provided by the director of nurses (DON) on 12/21/22 at 9:51 a.m. It revealed, in pertinent part, Residents are assessed as to the current status of their skin. A plan of care is established and updated as needed for prevention of skin breakdown and/or for treatment of existing wounds in order to heal them if possible and prevent infection. The treatment program for a pressure ulcer then entails: assessment and documentation of each pressure ulcer is to be done upon discovery of the ulcer; weekly by the wound team; PRN with any significant change in the wound. Assessment of the pressure ulcer must include the following: a. Stage, b. Location, c. Size: measurement of the length, width and depth (if any) of the ulcer, d. Color of the wound base, exudates color and consistency, and approximate volume of the wound drainage, e. Necrotic tissue (if present): slough or eschar, stated in terms of approximate percentages, f. Tunneling and/or undermining, g. Infection: presence or absence of signs of local wound infection: erythema, induration, purulent drainage, h. Pain: assess presence of pain associated with the wound both with or without dressing change, i. Healing (when present): indicators of healing include the presence of granulation tissue (fragile beefy red healing tissue composed of small blood vessels and connective tissue) or epithelialization tissue (thin silvery epidermal tissue), j. Surrounding skin: color, appearance and integrity of the area. Pressure ulcers must be monitored daily. III. Resident #60 A. Resident status Resident #60, age less than 70, was admitted on [DATE]. According to the September 2022 computerized physician orders (CPO), the diagnoses included hemiplegia and hemiparesis (paralysis) following cerebral infarction (stroke) affecting left non-dominant side, hypertensive heart disease with heart failure, type 2 diabetes mellitus with diabetic chronic kidney disease, dysphagia (discomfort or difficulty swallowing), and received enteral feeding. The 9/13/22 minimum data set (MDS) assessment revealed the resident had moderate cognitive impairment with a brief interview for mental status (BIMS) score of 10 out of 15. It also revealed that she needed extensive assistance with activities of daily living and bed mobility. She was at risk for developing a pressure ulcer, having moisture associated skin damage, no unhealed pressure ulcers were present, no turning/repositioning program in place, and the treatment for her skin was a pressure reducing device for the bed and application of ointments/medications. B. Observation On 12/21/22 at 9:00 a.m., the RNWN was observed providing wound care to Resident #60. The resident was lying in bed. The nurse pushed the call light for assistance with repositioning the resident in bed. Certified nurse aide (CNA) #2 came in to assist. They positioned the resident on her left side. The resident's dressing was removed and scant serous (thin, watery) drainage was observed. The resident's wound bed to the coccyx had 90% slough tissue and 10% granular tissue to the distal edge of the wound. Attached to the proximal edge of the coccyx wound, was a smaller wound to the upper right sacrum (the wound bed was red). There were no signs and symptoms of infection noted. The wound care nurse cleansed the wound with a wound cleanser, then applied a hydrocolloid (autolytic debridement dressing) dressing and then covered it with a foam dressing. The wound nurse did not measure the wound. C. Record review The care plan, initiated 9/20/22, identified the resident had a potential for worsening skin integrity related to immobility/acute decline in activities of daily living secondary to recent hospitalization/illness. It also revealed that the resident had excoriation to her coccyx upon admission. The interventions that were put in place were as follows: use caution when transferring or moving in bed (use lift device/turn sheet); assess/report/record to the physician any skin condition, presence of any new areas; and weekly skin check by nurse. -The care plan did not include frequent repositioning/offloading, treatment, a pressure reducing bed, or when the air mattress was implemented. The clinical notes for Resident #60 revealed a skin assessment on 9/7/22, with a Braden scale score of 16, mild risk for developing pressure injury, and describing the resident's coccyx area as being red but fully blanchable and a skin barrier was applied. No wound orders for the skin barrier were found in the resident's chart, and no measurements of the area were documented as performed. Wound care notes for the coccyx area on 9/14/22 and 9/16/22 revealed the area was improved with mild excoriation. Skin barrier spray and a foam border pad was applied. No wound orders for either the skin barrier spray or the foam border pad were found in the resident's chart. A wound care note on 9/19/22 revealed no open areas to bilateral gluteal area, skin barrier was applied. -There was no note to document a coccyx area wound was found. A wound care note on 10/3/22 revealed a wound to the right gluteal area, measuring 0.3 x 0.3. Skin barrier was applied, then a foam border patch. -Assessment of the wound was lacking units of measurement and staging of the wound. A wound care note on 10/10/22 revealed that the right gluteal wound was closed, skin barrier applied and foam border pad applied. A wound care note on 10/17/22 revealed a deteriorated 1.0 x 1.0 partial thickness wound with distal border blue/red, skin protectant barrier and foam pad applied. -No location of the wound was identified and no units of measurement were identified with assessment of the wound. A wound care note on 10/21/22 revealed the right gluteal area was mildly excoriated over 3.0 x 3.0 area, cleansed and skin barrier swab applied, and foam border dressing applied. -There was no note regarding how the area was being cleansed and no units of measurement were found. A wound care note on 10/28/22 revealed that the right gluteal area was improving, and the wound bed had pink/red granulation and epithelialization. -No measurement of the wound or wound care was found. A wound care note on 11/2/22 revealed a coccyx wound was improving. -No documentation of the right gluteal area was found. A wound care note on 11/4/22 revealed that the coccyx wound was closed and the right gluteal wound was improving with excoriation, 0.1 x 0.3 open mild maceration. -No wound care documentation and units of measurement in assessing the wound were found. A wound care note on 11/7/22 revealed that the bilateral gluteal areas were improving and that a skin barrier and foam border dressing were applied. -No wound care orders were found. A wound care note on 11/9/22 revealed gluteal excoriation was improving and a skin barrier was applied. -No wound care orders or measurement of the wound were found. A wound care note, within the clinical notes, on 11/16/22 revealed that the coccyx wound had reopened. A blue/black spot 0.7 x 0.7 was noted on the coccyx and another the same size on the right sacrum with partial thickness wound surrounding the wound with tissue maceration, cleaned, skin barrier applied to the entire area and covered with foam border dressing. -No units of measurement in assessing the wound, wound care orders, or bilateral gluteal area wound assessment were found. A wound care flow sheet initiated on 11/16/22 revealed an assessment for a right sacrum wound. -Only two entries had been entered: 11/16/22 and 11/18/22. Both entries were incomplete: missing documentation in the wound stage, tunneling, pain, and other information sections. A wound care flow sheet initiated on 11/16/22 revealed an assessment for a coccyx wound. -The wound care flow sheet revealed an assessment of the coccyx wound on: 11/16/22, 11/18/22, 11/25/22, 11/28/22, 12/5/22 and 12/14/22. -All entries were missing documentation in the pain and other information sections of the assessment. -The 11/18/22, 11/25/22, 11/28/22, 12/5/22, and 12/14/22 entries were missing documentation in the tunneling section. -The 11/25 and 11/28/22 entries were missing the wound staging assessment. -The 12/14/22 entry was not completed or signed, only revealing that the wound had deteriorated. No other entries were found. A wound care note, within the clinical notes, on 12/9/22 revealed that there were two wounds: 0.8 x 0.4 stage 3, coccyx wound with yellow slough in the wound bed, and excoriation on the right sacrum. The wound was cleaned, skin barrier applied, and covered with a border foam dressing. -No units of measurement in assessing the wound or wound care orders were found. A wound care note on 12/14/22 revealed that both wounds had deteriorated, the coccyx wound was 0.8 x 0.4 x 0.1 open, no slough but blue discoloration. Right sacrum 0.8 x 0.5 blue/red non-blanching, skin barrier applied with border foam dressing. -No units of measurement in assessing the wounds or wound care orders were found. A nursing note on 12/15/22 revealed a Braden scale score of 14, indicating a moderate risk for developing a pressure ulcer. A wound care note on 12/21/22 revealed that the sacrum and coccyx wounds were both improving slowly. The sacral wound bed had red/pink granulation tissue with scant areas of maceration. The coccyx wound had red/yellow granulation buds apparent and yellow slough in the wound bed. A hydrocolloid with foam border dressing applied. -No wound care orders were found and the wound was not measured. The wound measurements documented in the wound and clinical notes did not include if the measurements were in millimeters, centimeters or inches. The CPO for December 2022 included an order for skin/wound care per facility protocol PRN (as needed). No specific orders were noted for Resident #60's coccyx and sacrum wounds. An order was added on 12/9/22 for an air mattress to the resident's bed for off-loading and comfort. Review of the treatment administration records (TARs) for October, November and December 2022 revealed a skin/wound care per facility protocol, as needed, order starting 9/6/22, and no documentation of staff performing the treatment was noted. The medication administration record (MAR) for December 2022 revealed no administration record of the wound cleanser being used to treat Resident #60's wounds. The Wound Care Standards policy and procedure, revised in October 2019 and last revised in October 2022, was provided by the director of nurses (DON) on 12/21/22 at 9:51 a.m. It revealed, in pertinent part, Ulcer Care. Initial care of the pressure ulcer involves debridement, wound cleansing, the application of dressings. Treatment product categories protocol for stage 3 wounds: hydrocolloid (absorbent) dressing, should not be used with heavy exudate wound or if infection is present, hydrogels (absorbent), foams and alginates. The policy revealed that in the absence of the wound nurse, it is the responsibility of the staff nurse to assess pressure ulcers on a daily basis. If a dressing is in place and it is not due to be changed, evaluate the status of the dressing, the area surrounding the ulcer for possible complications such as infection or maceration of skin. Initial the TAR and document any findings. Complete treatments as ordered on TAR and initial when completed, assess wound and document. There was no further documentation in Resident #60's record to reflect the care the facility was providing to prevent wound development or interventions to prevent wound development. D. Interviews Licensed practical nurse (LPN) #3 was interviewed on 12/21/22 at 5:20 p.m. She said that the wound care orders were found in the resident's chart. She acknowledged there were no orders, she could not locate them. She said that she looked at the last wound care nurse's note, and applied whatever dressing the wound nurse last applied. She said that she was not able to assess the wounds, it was outside her scope of practice, that a registered nurse needed to assess wounds. The registered nurse/wound nurse (RNWN) was interviewed on 12/22/22 at 9:43 a.m. She said Resident #60 admitted with excoriation to her coccyx and staff applied a skin barrier, the excoriation would get worse, then it would get better. She said Resident #60's coccyx wound healed and then reopened on 11/16/22 and it was documented as a stage 3 pressure ulcer. She said that she did 90% of the wound care at the facility (every Monday, Wednesday and Friday), and that the staff nurses should know what wound care to provide because she reported to them when she provided wound care. She said the facility had a wound protocol which she followed (see above). She agreed that residents with wounds should have specific wound care orders for staff to follow. She acknowledged that she was behind on weekly documentation of wound care and that it needed to include measurements, characteristics of the wound, and if the wound was healing or deteriorating. IV. Failure to ensure weekly wound assessments were completed for Resident #47 A. Resident #47 status Resident #47, age [AGE], was admitted on [DATE]. According to the December 2022 computerized physician orders (CPO), diagnoses included fracture of the right ulna (wrist), fracture of the left and right patella (knee), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypertension, and pressure ulcer of the left and right heel. The 12/2/22 MDS assessment revealed Resident #47 was cognitively intact with a BIMS score of 15 out of 15. She required extensive one to two-person assistance with most activities of daily living (ADLs). She did not exhibit behaviors or reject care. Resident #47 was at risk of developing pressure ulcers/injuries. Two unstageable pressure injuries were present upon admission. She had a pressure reducing device for her chair and bed, pressure ulcer/injury care and application of dressings to her feet. B. Observation The registered nurse/wound nurse (RNWN) was observed providing wound care to Resident #47's bilateral heels on 12/21/22 at 8:45 a.m. She said the resident was admitted with deep tissue injury (DTI) to her bilateral heels. She said the resident was non-compliant with care, and often refused treatments, such as heel booties, L'Nard boots and floating of her heels. The resident had a geo mat (foam) on her bed which she used to float her heels in bed. The resident's right heel was calloused with a dark dry center. The resident's left heel was calloused, dry and boggy. The wound nurse applied skin prep to the resident's heels. The wound nurse did not measure the resident's wounds to her heels. C. Record review The care plan, initiated 11/26/22, revealed Resident #47 had a potential for impaired skin integrity related to immobility/acute decline in ADL function secondary to her recent hospitalization/illness. The resident's Braden (a tool used for predicting pressure ulcer development) score was 16 on admission (15-18=mild risk, 13-14=moderate risk, 10-12=high risk and less than 9=severe risk). Interventions included to administer medication/treatments as ordered and note/report any side effects or complications, float heels, and weekly skin checks by the nurse. Review of the December 2022 CPO revealed Resident #47 had orders to apply skin prep to her bilateral heels every shift (twice daily) and to offload pressure to her heels. Review of the weekly wound reports and weekly clinical notes from 11/14/22 to 12/21/22 revealed staff did not document weekly assessments to include wound measurements, wound characteristics, and/or if the wound improved or deteriorated. The documentation for the left heel was completed on 11/14/22 and 11/16/22. The documentation for the right heel was completed on 11/14/22, 11/16/22, and on 11/28/22 which documented the wound was healed. D. Staff interviews The RNWN was interviewed on 12/21/22 at 9:30 a.m. She said at one point Resident #47's right heel DTI/callous healed on 11/28/22 but then redeveloped on 11/30/22 due to her skin condition ichthyosis (a group of skin disorders characterized by dry, scaly, or thickened skin). She acknowledged Resident #47 did not have weekly wound assessments completed for the past few weeks. She said she was behind on her weekly documentation of wounds. She said she was the only wound nurse and occasionally another registered nurse (RN) would fill in for her when she was off. She said residents with pressure ulcers needed to have a weekly assessment completed to include measurements and documentation if the wound was healing or deteriorated. She said if she did not complete one it would fall on the floor nurses to complete. The director of nursing (DON) was interviewed on 12/22/22 at 1:41 p.m. She said the wound nurse usually completed weekly documentation of wound care. She said the weekly wound assessments needed to include measurements, description of the wound, drainage, signs of infection and if the wound was healing or deteriorating.
CONCERN (D)

Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed

Respiratory Care (Tag F0695)

Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident

**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observations, record review and interviews, the facility failed to provide necessary respiratory care consistent with p...

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**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observations, record review and interviews, the facility failed to provide necessary respiratory care consistent with professional standards of practice in coordination with the resident's care plan, goals and preferences for two (#5 and #64) out of 26 sample residents. Specifically, the facility failed to: -Ensure appropriate oxygen titration orders were written, implemented, and care planned for Resident #5; and, -Ensure Resident #64 had complete orders for use of continuous positive airway pressure therapy (CPAP) to include machine setting duration of use and orders for cleaning the device between resident use. Findings include: I. Professional reference According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Interim Infection Prevention and Control recommendations for respiratory therapy, last reviewed 5/13/21, retrieved 12/28/22 online from https://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/infectioncontrol/healthcaresettings.htm A physician order for all respiratory therapy intervention/service must be recorded in the patient's medical record. The order must clearly indicate the evaluation or treatment to be performed, the specific modality and duration of all aspects of the treatment, including frequency of monitoring. II. Facility policy The facility respiratory care policy was requested on 12/22/22. The director of nursing (DON) said the facility did not have a policy for respiratory care for oxygen therapy and use of CPAP respiratory devices; but instead used the [NAME] and [NAME] Fundamentals of Nursing text book for guidance on respiratory care. That text book was kept at the nurses station for the nurses to reference as needed. III. Resident #5 A. Resident status Resident #5, age [AGE], was admitted on [DATE]. According to the December 2022 computerized physician orders (CPO), diagnoses included Alzheimer's disease unspecified, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, obstructive sleep apnea, pulmonary hypertension, neuromuscular dysfunction of bladder, and type 2 diabetes mellitus with diabetic neuropathy. The 9/25/22 minimum data set (MDS) assessment revealed the resident had impaired cognition and the brief interview for mental status (BIMS) was un-scored because the resident was unable to complete the interview. Documentation showed the staff assessed the resident to have long term memory problems and cognitive difficulties in new situations. The resident did not exhibit any behavior concerns. The resident received oxygen therapy but there were no concerns regarding shortness of breath. B. Record review The resident comprehensive care plan, initiated on 3/15/16 and revised on 1/25/22, revealed the resident required supplemental oxygen due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, obstructive sleep apnea and pulmonary hypertension. Interventions included to administer oxygen per physician's orders. Administer oxygen per nasal cannula (NC); titrate above 90% to maintain oxygen saturation (O2 sat). Change tubing per facility protocol. -The care plan did not specify a starting oxygen liter flow level. A physician order for oxygen therapy dated 3/14/16 read, Titrate oxygen (O2) to keep oxygen saturations greater than 90 percent, as needed. -The physician's order did not document if the oxygen should be delivered continuously or intermittently at a specific time of day, for the duration. It did not provide a starting acceptable oxygen liter flow amount, and did not provide a method of oxygen delivery (i.e by mask or by nasal cannula). C. Observations and interviews Resident #5 was interviewed on 12/20/22 at 11:19 a.m. Resident #5 said she used oxygen all the time and it was set at two liters per minute (LPM). On 12/20/22 at 11:20 a.m., Resident #5 was observed while using oxygen therapy from an oxygen concentrator. Resident #5 was receiving oxygen at a rate of 2 LPM by nasal cannula. On 12/21/22 at 11:12 a.m., Resident #5 was observed while using oxygen therapy from an oxygen concentrator. Resident #5 was receiving oxygen at a rate of 2 LPM by nasal cannula. Licensed practical nurse (LPN) #1 was interviewed on 12/22/22 at 4:45 p.m. LPN #1 said the oxygen orders read to titrate O2 to keep stats above 90% saturation. LPN #1 said this was not a skilled unit, therefore the nursing staff were only required to take oxygen saturation levels (O2 stats) for each resident once a month. LPN #1 said it was up to the nurse's judgment to determine when to take vitals for a resident who showed signs of respiratory distress or hypoxia (shortness of breath). LPN #1 said she would take O2 sats more often if she had concerns and increase the resident's oxygen liter flow rate if the resident's oxygen level was below 90 percent. LPN #1 said she would then notify the physician if there was a change in the resident needed for a higher oxygen liter flow and the oxygen needed to be titrated up higher. The director of nursing (DON) was interviewed on 12/22/22 at 5 p.m. The DON said the nurses assessed the resident if they had obvious signs and symptoms of hypoxia or respiratory distress. They would not notify the physician unless the oxygen saturation level severely dropped below 80. If the oxygen level was around 88 percent oxygen saturation level, the nurse would increase the oxygen and see if that improved the resident's ability to breathe. IV. Failure to ensure physician orders for Resident #64's CPAP A. Resident status Resident #64, age [AGE], was admitted to the facility on [DATE]. According to the December 2022 CPO, diagnoses included end stage renal disease, fracture of the left tibia (lower leg), diabetes mellitus and congestive heart failure. The 11/16/22 MDS assessment revealed Resident #54 was cognitively intact with a BIMS score of 15 out of 15. He required extensive two-person assistance with most activities of daily living (ADLs). There was no documentation of a CPAP being used on the assessment. B. Resident observation and interview On 12/19/22 at 12:21 p.m. the resident was sitting in his wheelchair in his room. A continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine was observed on his bedside dresser. He said he used oxygen at night with his CPAP. He said since he had been admitted , no one had cleaned or cared for his CPAP. C. Record review Review of the care plan, initiated 10/31/22, revealed a plan of care for oxygen therapy. However, there was no plan of care for a CPAP. Review of Resident #64's CPO revealed orders for continuous oxygen (O2) at 2 L (liters)/min via nasal cannula and titrate O2 to keep saturations greater than 90% as needed. -However, there were no orders for the resident's CPAP. D. Staff interviews Licensed practical nurse (LPN) #4 was interviewed on 12/21/22 at 1:00 p.m. She said Resident #64 did not have CPAP orders in his record. She said the resident should have CPAP orders to include the settings and when to clean the device. She said she would follow up and ensure the resident had orders. LPN #4 was interviewed a second time on 12/22/22 at 12:32 p.m. She said she followed up with Resident #64 and his wife to see when the resident brought the CPAP to the facility because he did not have it on admission. She said she called the physician's office for settings (the resident stated it was set at 15%) and she was awaiting a call back. The director of nursing (DON) was interviewed on 12/22/22 at 1:41 p.m. She said she knew Resident #64 very well and when he was first admitted she asked him about bringing his CPAP from home and he said he did not need it. She said the facility was not aware Resident #64's wife brought the CPAP a few weeks later. She said he was independent with his CPAP. She acknowledged Resident #64 should have CPAP setting orders and orders for cleaning the device.
CONCERN (F)

Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed

Infection Control (Tag F0880)

Could have caused harm · This affected most or all residents

**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** III. Unsanitary room cleaning A. Facility policy The Maintaining a Clean Environment Policy/Procedure, revised September 2022, w...

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**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** III. Unsanitary room cleaning A. Facility policy The Maintaining a Clean Environment Policy/Procedure, revised September 2022, was provided by the director of nurses (DON) on 12/21/22 at 8:00 a.m. It revealed, in pertinent part, Items and surfaces that collect dust or secretions may harbor microorganisms that can be transmitted to and potentially infect susceptible residents, visitors or employees. Points commonly and frequently touched, such as call buttons, and light switches. These items also will be a major focus when there is known illness in the facility. B. Observations On 12/20/22 at 11:15 a.m., housekeeper (HSK) #1 was observed beginning the cleaning task of room #F8. She performed hand hygiene then donned gloves. She emptied the resident's trash, cleaned the resident's bedside table, sink, window sill, and bedside dresser with a wet cloth rag that was dipped into disinfectant solution (HP202). She did not clean the resident's call light or remote. Then she took the toilet brush that was in a separate container of disinfectant, HP202, and cleaned inside the toilet bowl. Afterwards, she wiped down the toilet from the top to the bottom with a wet cloth rag from the HP202 disinfectant solution. She did not clean the bathroom handrail or bathroom call light plastic pull cord. She performed hand hygiene in between tasks. -At 11:30 a.m., HSK #1 sprayed Diffense disinfectant (with contact time of one minute) on the toilet and then immediately wiped the toilet with a dry cloth rag. She did not allow for the one minute of contact time of the disinfectant on the surface of the toilet. She then dipped a mop rag into the disinfectant solution (HP 202), and proceeded to mop the restroom floor. Immediately afterwards, she went over the wet restroom floor with a dry mop rag. She did not allow the disinfectant solution to air dry, per disinfectant instructions. She then vacuumed the resident's carpeted room. She performed hand hygiene in between tasks. At 11:58 a.m., she stated that she had finished cleaning the room. B. Staff interviews HSK #1 was interviewed on 12/20/22 at 11:58 a.m., with the assistance of a Spanish speaking interpreter, certified nurse aide (CNA) #3. HSK #1 stated that she usually cleaned all the high touch care areas like the call light, remote, bathroom handrail and the bathroom call light cord. She said that she was nervous and forgot to clean those areas. She said she would go back in the room and clean those areas. The environmental plant operation maintenance (EPOM) staff person was interviewed on 12/20/22 at 12:09 p.m. She stated that she was filling in for the environmental services director (ESD) who was on vacation. The EPOM said she did not know what disinfectant solutions the housekeeping staff were using. She said HK #2 would know which disinfectant solutions were used. HSK #2 was interviewed on 12/20/22 at 2:38 p.m. She said that the disinfectant used for mopping the restroom floor was HP202. She said that the disinfectant should air dry. The EPOM and HSK #2 were interviewed a second time on 12/21/22 at 8:40 a.m. HSK #2 said she was serving as lead housekeeper temporarily as the permanent lead housekeeper was on maternity leave. She said the high touch care areas should be cleaned daily during resident room cleaning. She said the Diffense disinfectant being used had a contact time of one minute. She said HSK #1 should not have immediately wiped the disinfectant dry after applying it to the toilet. She said HSK #1 should not have dried the resident's restroom floor with a dry mop rag; the disinfectant should have been left to air dry. The EPOM said they planned to retrain HSK #1 on proper cleaning of residents' rooms. IV. Inappropriate hand hygiene techniques A. Facility policy The Hand Hygiene policy and procedure, revised August 2022, was provided by the director of nursing (DON) on 12/21/22 at 8:00 a.m. It revealed, in pertinent part, Hand hygiene is a simple and effective method for preventing the transmission of infection. The following situations require hand hygiene: before and after direct resident contact, before and after eating or handling food, before and after assisting a resident with meals, after handling soiled equipment or utensils. The Dietary Hand Sanitation policy from the dietary manual, undated, was provided by the DON on 12/22/22 at 4:36 p.m. It revealed in pertinent part: Most importantly to wash hands correctly to prevent cross-contamination. Before, during and after preparing any food. After coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose. Handwashing is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs when done correctly. [NAME] publishing 2004, Assisting with Nutrition and Hydration in Long Term Care Guidebook, p. 32; provided by the NHA on 12/20/22 at 11:00 am., revealed in pertinent part: You should wash your hands: before and after touching meal trays and/or handling food; before and after feeding residents; and before and after contact with residents. B. Observations of lunch trays On 12/19/22 at 12:56 p.m., the B hallway lunch trays were observed being served to resident rooms. Dietary aide (DA) #1 and DA #2 were observed not performing hand hygiene before or after delivering trays to rooms #2, #4, #13, and #14. DA #2 was wearing gloves, but did not remove them in between residents and perform hand hygiene. On 12/20/22 at 12:50 p.m., the B hallway lunch trays were observed being served to resident rooms. DA#1 and DA #6 were observed not performing hand hygiene before or after delivering trays to resident rooms. On 12/21/22 at 5:50 p.m., the B hallway dinner trays were observed being served to resident rooms. DAs #9, #10, and #11 were observed not performing hand hygiene before or after delivering trays to resident rooms. C. Observations during meal service On 12/19/22 from 11:10 a.m. to 1:22 p.m. lunch service was observed. There were approximately seven feeding assistants and approximately 16 residents in the dining room. None of the residents were offered hand sanitizer or wipes or any other type of hand hygiene before eating their meal. Only three residents were offered a method of hand hygiene after the meal. -DA #1, #6, #3, and #4 failed to perform hand hygiene by washing with soap and water or sanitizing with alcohol based sanitizer before and between delivering meals and drinks to residents. The dietary aides were observed preparing drinks to be delivered without washing or sanitizing hands. The dietary assistants were observed touching trays, cups, tables, residents, carts, and other equipment during the distribution of the lunch meal. -DA #4 was observed wearing a mask that only covered the mouth and not the nose. DA #4 coughed and wiped her mouth multiple times while assisting a resident with eating. DA #4 failed to perform hand hygiene after coughing and touching her mouth. On 12/20/22 between 11:43 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. lunch service was observed. Residents were not offered hand hygiene before or after their meal and the DA failed to perform hand hygiene in between delivering meals and drinks to residents. On 12/21/22 between 8:26 a.m. and 8:34 a.m. on the Fir hallway, the breakfast meal was observed. DA #1, #5, and #6 failed to offer residents, who were being served breakfast in their room, any type of hand hygiene prior to eating their meal. On 12/22/22 between 11:40 a.m. and 12:25 p.m. lunch was observed. Residents were not offered hand hygiene before or after their meal and DAs failed to perform hand hygiene in between delivering meals and drinks to residents. C. Staff interviews DA #1 and #6 were interviewed on 12/20/22 at 2:19 p.m. DA #1 stated she used hand sanitizer after delivering room trays in every one to two resident rooms. Both DA #1 and #6 stated after delivering every two room trays they were to use hand sanitizer and they were instructed by the dietary manager on this procedure. Both DA #1 and #6 stated they had received no education about performing hand hygiene before delivery of the resident's trays. The dietary manager (DM) and registered dietitian (RD) were interviewed on 12/20/22 at 2:46 p.m. The DM stated that the DAs were to use hand sanitizer before and after each resident when delivering or picking up resident trays. The RD stated she observed DA #2 wearing gloves on 12/20/22 and she instructed DA #2 not to wear them and to use hand sanitizer before and after delivering room trays to each resident. Both the DM and RD stated dietary staff were not instructed to perform hand hygiene after every two residents, but were instructed to perform hand hygiene after each room tray delivery. The dietary manager (DM) was interviewed on 12/21/22 at 3:15 p.m. The DM said staff assisting residents in the room were expected to wash their hands with soap and water before serving the resident meals and staff were expected to perform hand hygiene in between assisting each resident with their meal. Staff were also expected to encourage residents to perform hand hygiene or offer residents assistance to perform hand hygiene, if needed, before the resident started to eat their meal. There was a hand washing sink in in the dining room and hand sanitizer was also available to staff and residents in the dining room The director of nursing (DON) was interviewed on 12/22/22 at 12:59 p.m. She stated the dietary aides did not need to perform hand hygiene, if they delivered trays to resident rooms without touching anything besides the tray. She stated if the DAs touched a dirty tray, the resident, or items in the resident's room, then they needed to perform hand hygiene. DA #1 was interviewed on 12/22/22 at 1:30 p.m. DA #1 said staff should wash their hands with soap and water before starting to serve residents their meals and then use hand sanitizer for hand hygiene every or every other plate when delivering them to residents. DA #3 was interviewed on 12/22/22 at 1:30 p.m. DA #3 said staff were to sanitize their hands often when passing out the plates to the residents. DA #2 was interviewed on 12/22/22 at 1:30 p.m. DA #2 said staff were supposed to sanitize their hands before handling each plate and after every plate had been delivered. Based on observations, record review and interviews, the facility failed to establish and maintain an infection prevention and control program designed to provide a safe, sanitary and comfortable environment and to help prevent the development and transmission of communicable diseases and infection in one of two common dining areas, in one of four halls, and for three (#53, #32 and #45) of three residents reviewed for infection control out of 26 sample residents. Specifically, the facility failed to: -Ensure Residents #53 and #32, who had a known communicable disease (influenza A), were placed on transmission based precautions (TBP) in a timely manner; -Ensure Residents #32 and #45 were separated in a timely manner to prevent the potential spread of the communicable disease, when Resident #32 was diagnosed with influenza A; -Ensure staff wore appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when caring for residents with a known communicable disease; -Ensure staff who were not vaccinated for influenza wore appropriate PPE (including a mask) while in the facility to prevent potential spread of the influenza virus; -Ensure staff followed proper housekeeping practices to clean from dirty to clean, cleaned all frequently touched surfaces such as call lights, pull cords and other similar surfaces, and allowed proper disinfectant dwell times; -Ensured all staff performed hand hygiene in between assisting each resident with care to prevent possible cross contamination of infectious diseases; -Provide hand hygiene to residents before and after meals; and, -Ensure dietary aides used hand hygiene prior to delivering resident meals and drinks and in between delivering resident meal trays when their hands became contaminated. Findings include: I. Preventing the spread of a communicable disease A. Professional reference According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Interim Infection Prevention and Control recommendations for prevention strategies for seasonal influenza in healthcare settings, last reviewed on 5/13/21, retrieved 12/27/22, online from https://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/infectioncontrol/healthcaresettings.htm. Traditionally, influenza viruses have been thought to spread from person to person primarily through large-particle respiratory droplet transmission (e.g., when an infected person coughs or sneezes near a susceptible person). Transmission via large-particle droplets requires close contact between source and recipient persons, because droplets generally travel only short distances (approximately 6 feet or less) through the air. Indirect contact transmission via hand transfer of influenza virus from virus-contaminated surfaces or objects to mucosal surfaces of the face (e.g., nose, mouth) may also occur. Recommendations include but are not limited to: Adhere to Standard Precautions - during the care of any patient, all healthcare professionals (HCP) in every healthcare setting should adhere to standard precautions, which are the foundation for preventing transmission of infectious agents in all healthcare settings. -Hand hygiene - HCP should perform hand hygiene frequently, including before and after all patient contact, contact with potentially infectious material, and before putting on and upon removal of personal protective equipment, including gloves. Hand hygiene in healthcare settings can be performed by washing with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand rubs. If hands are visibly soiled, use soap and water, not alcohol-based hand rubs. -Gloves - Wear gloves for any contact with potentially infectious material. Remove gloves after contact, followed by hand hygiene. Do not wear the same pair of gloves for care of more than one patient. Do not wash gloves for the purpose of reuse. -Wear gowns for any patient-care activity when contact with blood, body fluids, secretions (including respiratory), or excretions is anticipated. Remove gown and perform hand hygiene before leaving the patient's environment. Do not wear the same gown for care of more than one patient. Adhere to droplet precautions:Droplet precautions should be implemented for patients with suspected or confirmed influenza for (7) seven days after illness onset or until 24 hours after the resolution of fever and respiratory symptoms, whichever is longer, while a patient is in a healthcare facility. In some cases, facilities may choose to apply droplet precautions for longer periods based on clinical judgment, such as in the case of .severely immunocompromised patients, who may shed influenza virus for longer periods of time. -HCP should don a facemask when entering the room of a patient with suspected or confirmed influenza. Remove the facemask when leaving the patient's room, dispose of the facemask in a waste container, and perform hand hygiene. According to the CDC Interim Guidance for Influenza Outbreak Management in Long-Term Care and Post-Acute Care Facilities, last reviewed 11/21/22, retrieved 12/27/22, online from https://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/infectioncontrol/ltc-facility-guidance.htm Influenza can be introduced into a long-term care facility by newly admitted residents, healthcare personnel and by visitors. Spread of influenza can occur between and among residents, healthcare personnel and visitors. Residents of long-term care facilities can experience severe and fatal illness during influenza outbreaks. Preventing transmission of influenza viruses and other infectious agents within healthcare settings, including in long-term care facilities, requires a multi-faceted approach that includes the following: Influenza vaccination; Influenza testing; Infection prevention and control measures; Antiviral treatment; and Antiviral chemoprophylaxis. Implement Standard and Droplet Precautions for all residents with suspected or confirmed influenza. Standard precautions are intended to be applied to the care of all patients in all healthcare settings, regardless of the suspected or confirmed presence of an infectious agent. Implementation of standard precautions constitutes the primary strategy for the prevention of healthcare-associated transmission of infectious agents among patients and healthcare personnel. Examples of standard precautions include: -Wearing gloves if hand contact with respiratory secretions or potentially contaminated surfaces is anticipated. -Wearing a gown if soiling of clothes with a resident's respiratory secretions is anticipated. -Changing gloves and gowns after each resident encounter and performing hand hygiene -Perform hand hygiene before and after touching the resident, after touching the resident's environment, or after touching the resident's respiratory secretions, whether or not gloves are worn. Gloves do not replace the need for performing hand hygiene. Droplet precautions are intended to prevent transmission of pathogens spread through close respiratory or mucous membrane contact with respiratory secretions. Droplet precautions should be implemented for residents with suspected or confirmed influenza for seven (7) days after illness onset or until 24 hours after the resolution of fever and respiratory symptoms, whichever is longer, while a resident is in a healthcare facility. Examples of Droplet Precautions include: -Placing ill residents in a private room. If a private room is not available, place (cohort) residents suspected of having influenza residents with one another; -Wear a facemask (e.g., surgical or procedure mask) upon entering the resident's room. Remove the facemask when leaving the resident's room and dispose of the facemask in a waste container. -If resident movement or transport is necessary, have the resident wear a facemask (e.g., surgical or procedure mask), if possible. -Communicate information about patients with suspected, probable, or confirmed influenza to appropriate healthcare personnel before transferring them to other departments. These Precautions are part of the overall infection control strategy to protect against influenza in healthcare settings and should be used along with other infection control measures, such as isolation or cohorting of ill residents, screening employees and visitors for illness, furloughing ill healthcare personnel, and discouraging ill visitors from entering the facility. In some cases, facilities may choose to apply standard precautions and droplet precautions for longer periods based on clinical judgment, such as in the case of young children or severely immunocompromised residents, who may shed influenza virus for longer periods of time. Because residents with influenza may continue to shed influenza viruses while on antiviral treatment, infection control measures to reduce transmission, including following standard and droplet precautions, should continue while the resident is taking antiviral therapy. This will also reduce transmission of viruses that may have become resistant to antiviral drugs during therapy. B. Facility policy The Infection Control Basics policy, revised September 2022, was provided by the nursing home administrator (NHA) on 12/19/22 at 9:30 a.m. It read in pertinent part: Contact precautions for patients with known or suspected infections that represent an increased risk for contact transmission. Ensure that the patient is placed in a single room, if available. Appropriate PPE is to be used including gloves and gowns for all interactions that may involve contact with the patient or the patient's environment. Donning (put on ) PPE upon room entry and properly discarding before exiting the patient room is done to contain pathogens. Transport and movement of patients is limited outside of the room unless medically necessary. Disposable or dedicated patient care equipment is used. Prioritization is made on cleaning and disinfection in the room. Droplet precautions for patients known or suspected to be infected with pathogens transmitted by respiratory droplets. Put a mask on the patient when doing cares. If a patient cannot tolerate it, try tissue over the nose and mouth. Ensure that the patient is placed in a single patient room if available. Use appropriate PPE. [NAME] (put on) a mask upon entry into the patient room. If a patient is coughing, sneezing, blowing nose, a gown would be appropriate for close contact. Limit transport and movement of a patient outside of the room to medically necessary purposes. C. Observations and interviews of staff and residents on the Aspen hall On 12/19/22 at 9:15 a.m., Resident #32 and #45's room was observed. Resident #32's room had a sign posted on the door that read droplet precautions and there was a binder of precautions the staff were to follow that included PPE usage instructions while providing resident care. There was an infection control cart just outside the door in the hall. The cart contained procedure gloves, gowns, masks and eye protection. On 12/19/22 at 2:30 p.m., maintenance staff was observed going in and out of Resident #32 and #45's room to move Resident #45's belongings across the hall to a private room. The maintenance staff was not wearing PPE, to include procedure gloves and a gown, to protect against cross contamination with droplet precautions in place. The maintenance staff explained to Resident #45 that the resident was moving across the hall to prevent the resident from getting sick. This was a temporary move because her roommate was sick and they did not want her to get sick as well. -The move of Resident #45 was completed 24 hours after the positive influenza A result was reported regarding Resident #32. This increased the exposure to Resident #45 and the potential spread of influenza A. Resident #45 was interviewed on 12/19/22 at 2:34 p.m. Resident #45 said she did not know until that day at approximately 1:30 p.m. that her roommate tested positive for influenza A and had been on droplet precautions. Resident #45 said she was told that she needed to move into another room so she would not get sick. When asked if she received her influenza vaccine, Resident #45 was unsure and could not remember if she did or not. On 12/19/22 at 3:30 p.m. Resident #32's roommate Resident #45 was transferred to a private room across the hall. Per licensed practical nurse (LPN) #1, Resident #32 was on isolation with droplet precautions and Resident #45 would be monitored for signs and symptoms of influenza. An influenza test was completed for Resident #45 and the facility was waiting for the results. On 12/19/22 at 4:10 p.m. a sign was observed at the front entrance and at the nurses station in the common area. The sign at the nurses station was visible to all who passed by, and read: (Local) County is in high transmission. Anyone who is having signs or symptoms of an illness or is recovering from an illness must wear a mask. Anyone who has had a known exposure to COVID or the flu must wear a mask. Eye protection is no longer required unless you feel more comfortable wearing it. It will still be available at the front desk. -If you have any respiratory illness signs or symptoms or have had a high risk exposure to a known positive, please take a COVID test. Then let the DON or NHA (names listed) know so we can do some contact tracing and let you know what your return to work day is. -Frequent hand hygiene for everyone is highly encouraged along with social distancing. -Every staff member may self-screen at the front door when arriving at the beginning of your shift. Every staff member must help to answer the door when the doorbell rings. -Staff members, residents and visitors are strongly encouraged to wear a mask. N-95s, eye protection, gown, and gloves in isolation rooms. On 12/20/22 at 9:11 a.m. the nursing staff on Aspen hall were providing resident care. LPN #1 was observed exiting Resident #53's room, after responding to the resident's call light. LPN #1 was not wearing gloves, mask, gown or eye protection. Resident #53 was interviewed on 12/20/22 at 9:20 a.m. Resident #53 said she was not feeling well; her neck and throat bothered her and she was fatigued. Resident #53 thought her cancer diagnosis was the reason she was feeling ill. After talking with the resident for 42 minutes, LPN #1 knocked on the door and informed the resident was being placed on droplet precautions due to testing positive for influenza A. -Despite Resident #53's lab slip documenting the resident lab results were reported on 12/19/22 at 5:14 p.m., the floor nurses were not notified in a timely manner that the resident tested positive for influenza A, causing a delay in establishing isolation and droplet precaution practices for Resident #53; thus protecting the resident's roommate, staff and others for the potential spread of influenza A (see interviews below). LPN #1 was interviewed on 12/20/22 at 10:02 a.m. LPN #1 said she just received a call at 10:00 a.m. from the lab reporting Resident #53 had tested positive for influenza A. LPN #1 said she was unaware of the resident's positive result until that moment. She said the resident was being placed on isolation with droplet precaution measures and the resident roommate, Resident #35, who had not tested positive for influenza A, would be transferred to a private room. On 12/20/22 at 10:10 a.m., a nursing staff member was observed placing an infection control cart outside of Resident #53's room. The cart included gowns, gloves, masks. Next to the cart was a waste basket for used PPE, and a laundry basket for reusable gowns to be stored until they were washed. D. Record review Resident #32's final lab results dated 12/18/22 at 2:19 p.m. revealed Resident #32 tested positive for influenza A. The document revealed the results were reported on 12/18/22 at 3:32 p.m. Resident #32's clinical notes dated 12/18/2022 at 5:33 p.m. revealed the facility received the results back from the lab at 3:40 p.m. revealing the resident was positive for influenza A. Family and physician were notified and Resident #32 was placed on isolation/droplet precautions. -The nursing staff failed to take timely action to protect Resident #32's roommate, Resident #45, from possibly contracting and also testing positive for influenza A. Resident #53's final lab results dated 12/19/22 at 3:37 p.m. revealed Resident #53 tested positive for influenza A. The document revealed the results were reported on 12/19/22 at 5:14 p.m. -The nursing staff failed to take timely action to protect Resident #53's roommate, Resident #35, from possibly contracting and also testing positive for influenza A. While the facility received Resident #53's lab result revealing she was positive for influenza A on 12/19/22 at approximately 5;14 p.m., they did not take droplet precaution actions for staff to follow while providing care to Resident #53; nor did the nursing staff take action to move Resident #53's roommate, Resident #35, from the room and protect Resident #35 from possibly contracting influenza A. E. Staff interviews LPN #1 was interviewed on 12/22/22 at 8:45 am. LPN #1 said the lab should call the facility right away if they received a critical result for a resident. LPN #1 said she was not sure why she was not notified prior to 10:00 a.m on 1/20/22, when the results were reported to the facility by the lab on 12/19/22 at 5:14 p.m., as documented in the lab report. LPN #1 said this could be due to the lab result being faxed to the facility's electronic database, which needed to be accessed by specifically assigned staff. LPN#1 said there may have been no one available with access to the system, to pull the results for the storage in the system's electronic database. LPN #1 said the lab should have also called in results to the facility when this critical result was known. The medical records clerk (MRC) was interviewed on 12/22/22 at 9:01 a.m. The MRC said when a lab result was critical, the lab would usually call the results to the facility in addition to sending a fax with the result. The MRC said he did not have a copy of a fax so it must have been sent to the electronic record. The MRC said the electronic record system cannot be accessed over the weekend or after hours because only certain staff had the code to access the faxes sent through the electronic database. The MRC said he had access to the electronic record and would access the system to receive faxes when he returned to work in the morning. The DON was interviewed on 12/22/22 at 1:15 p.m. The DON said on Sunday 12/18/22 Resident #32's lab results came back positive for influenza A. The DON said LPN #2 was notified and made the appropriate notification to the physician and the resident's family. However, LPN #2 did not notify the registered nurse (RN) who was on call. The DON acknowledged that because the on-call nurse was not notified there was a delay in placing all needed transmission based precautions.The DON said managerial staff were not made aware of Resident #32's positive influenza A result until Monday morning 12/19/22. The DON said normally, the residents would have been separated immediately. On Monday morning there were no empty rooms in the unit and staff had to speak with residents and families to see who would be willing to move rooms. The DON said she was not aware that Resident #53's results were reported on 12/19/22 at 5:14 p.m., which was documented in the lab report. The DON said normally, the lab called the facility with lab results. The DON said the lab could also send the report to the electronic fax which only the medical records department had access to. She said when the facility was notified of the first resident influenza A case, staff should have started wearing masks. She said staff who were not vaccinated for influenza are required to wear a mask until the end of flu season. II. Unvaccinated staff (influenza A) A. Professional reference According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Interim Infection Prevention and Control recommendations for prevention strategies for seasonal influenza in healthcare settings, last reviewed on 5/13/21, retrieved 12/27/22, online from https://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/infectioncontrol/healthcaresettings.htm. Promote and administer seasonal influenza vaccine. -Annual vaccination is the most important measure to prevent seasonal influenza infection. Achieving high influenza vaccination rates of HCP and patients is a critical step in preventing healthcare transmission of influenza from HCP to patients and from patients to HCP. According to current national guidelines, unless contraindicated, vaccinate all people aged 6 months and older, including HCP, patients and residents of long-term care facilities. B. Facility policy The Employee Influenza policy, revised September 2022, was provided by the DON on 12/22/22 at 4:11p.m. and read in pertinent part: The purpose of the form is used to maintain a record of employees who receive and do not receive an annual influenza vaccine. In the event of an outbreak, it provides baseline data for analysis. -The policy gave instructions on how to complete the influenza immunization consent form and who will maintain the employee influenza vaccination consent records; but did not give employees any instruction on how to proceed if they declined to get vaccinated against influenza -The Influenza Consent form dated 2022 -2023, documented the employees agreement and and understanding that the influenza immunization was an important flu control measure. The form further documented the staff's acknowledgement that if they declined to take the influenza A vaccine they unde[TRUNCATED]
Aug 2021 11 deficiencies 1 Harm
SERIOUS (G)

Actual Harm - a resident was hurt due to facility failures

Free from Abuse/Neglect (Tag F0600)

A resident was harmed · This affected 1 resident

**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** IV. Physical abuse between Resident #49 and #50 Resident #49 and Resident #50 were a married couple who were residing in the sam...

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**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** IV. Physical abuse between Resident #49 and #50 Resident #49 and Resident #50 were a married couple who were residing in the same room on E Hall at the time physical abuse between the two occurred on 7/28/21. A. Resident #49 1. Resident status Resident #49, age [AGE], was admitted on [DATE]. According to the August 2021 computerized physician orders (CPO), diagnoses included generalized anxiety, major depression, delusional disorder, insomnia, restless leg syndrome, glaucoma and sensorineural hearing (extremely hard of hearing). The 7/1/21 minimum data set (MDS) assessment revealed the short-term memory was not coded and the long-term memory coded the resident had deficits. She was moderately impaired for daily decision making. There was no brief interview for mental status (BIMS) score completed on this MDS. This MDS documented the resident displayed physical behaviors directed towards others, verbal behaviors directed towards others and behaviors not directed towards others during one to three days during the seven-day lookback period. She received seven days of anti-anxiety medications and hypnotics during the seven-day lookback period. The MDS documented the resident required extensive assistance of one for bed mobility, transfers, ambulating in her wheelchair, dressing, eating, toileting, personal hygiene and bathing. 2. Record review The care plan dated 7/7/21 related to mood documented Resident #49 had the potential for mood decline as evidenced by accusatory screaming, calling out and being difficult to redirect. It documented the resident was vision and hearing impaired, which exacerbated the resident's anxiety. Her spouse reported the resident had made negative comments as her health declined. It documented the resident yelled out comments such as Is there arsenic in those pills, there should be, Just shoot me, or You're abusing me when staff was providing proper care, when someone just entered the room or when no one was in her room at all. It documented the resident was physically aggressive, hit staff during care and was difficult to redirect. On 7/19/21, this care plan was updated to reflect the resident had been started on Sertraline (medication) for anxiety and depression. On 8/4/21, this care plan was updated to reflect the resident had been ordered Seroquel for a new diagnosis of delusional disorder. Interventions included investigating allegations of abuse or concerns as appropriate. -The care plan was not updated on 7/28/21 in relation to a physical altercation between Resident #49 and her husband, Resident #50. The care plan dated 7/7/21 related to psychosocial well-being documented Resident #49 continued to have difficulty adjusting from the community to long term care status with increased episodes of anxiety, resulting in verbal outbursts which were disruptive towards other residents and may be impacting the resident's psychosocial well-being. This care plan was updated on 7/28/21 and documented, Due to increased potential for physical and verbal aggression towards spouse, they are no longer rooming together which decreases their time together. Interventions included encouraging participation in activities of interest, introduce Resident #49 to others with similar interests and encourage and provide individualized activities for the resident's room as needed. The care plan dated 7/7/21 related to behavior documented Resident #49 was irritable and had episodes of physical aggression. It documented she reached out, attempting to grab or touch anyone that was near, such as her spouse. It documented Resident #49 and her spouse would argue at times and would push each other's hands away, resulting in staff visibly seeing the residents' irritation with each other. The resident's spouse stated this was Resident #49's baseline anxiety due to her sensory impairments. It documented Resident #49 was verbally aggressive as evidenced by the resident screaming and yelling at staff. It documented she was demanding with unrealistic expectations of staff. She screams ouch and help as an anticipatory response to any ADL (adult daily living) or request for assistance. It documented, on 7/21/21, Resident #49 entered into a behavioral agreement to ensure the safety and dignity of others. She agreed to be respectful towards staff and to no longer spit, throw items at, scream while proper care was being provided, threaten to harm others and to use the call light instead of screaming and yelling. It was updated on 7/28/21 and documented physical aggression towards her spouse, resulting in injury to both Resident #49 and her spouse, Resident #50. It documented visits with her spouse would be monitored for safety as needed. B. Resident #50 1. Resident status Resident #50, age [AGE], was admitted on [DATE]. The August 2021 CPO documented the resident's diagnoses included chronic kidney disease, type II diabetes mellitus and history of transient ischemic attack (stroke). The 7/6/21 MDS assessment revealed the resident had a BIMS score of 14 out of 15 and was cognitively intact for daily decision making. It documented the resident displayed physical behaviors towards others during one to three days during the seven-day lookback period He required limited assistance from one for ambulating with his walker. He required extensive assistance of one for bed mobility, transfers, dressing, toileting and personal hygiene. 2. Record review The care plan dated 7/7/21 related to psychosocial well-being documented Resident #50 had the potential for impaired psychosocial well-being and/or adjustment problems related to recent lifestyle changes, as he was used to caring for his spouse with minimal interaction with others, as the two were rooming together. This care plan was updated on 7/28/21 and documented that due to the increased potential for physical and verbal aggression towards his spouse, they are no longer rooming together, which decreased their time together. The care plan dated 7/7/21 related to behavior documented Resident #50 had episodes of irritation towards others, which could lead to physical aggression such as hitting a staff member's hand away while they were trying to assist him. It documented he also pushed his spouse's hand away while she was trying to reach or grab out towards him. This care plan was updated on 7/28/21 and documented there was physical aggression towards his spouse, resulting in injury to both Resident #50 and Resident #49. It documented Resident #50 was immediately transferred to a different room following the physical abuse altercation between the two. It documented an intervention of visitation with his wife to be observed for safety as needed. C. Initial facility investigation The facility's abuse investigation related to the resident to resident physical abuse between Resident #49 and Resident #50 was provided by the social services director (SSD) the morning of 8/24/21. The investigation documented a physical abuse investigation was filed on the State Agency related to resident to resident abuse between Resident #49 and Resident #50. This incident was reported to the State Agency on 7/28/21 by the social services director (SSD) at 10:00 p.m. Resident #49 and Resident #50 were spouses who resided together on E Hall. This physical abuse occurred in Resident #49's and Resident #50's room on 7/28/21 at 8:40 p.m. The facility's abuse investigation documented a certified nurse aide (CNA) heard Resident #49 calling out, Help me, help me, so the CNA walked into their room and heard both residents yelling at each other. Resident #49 was calling out for the CNA to move the call light clipped on her shirt to her collar of the shirt, which was done. As Resident #49 continued to yell out, the CNA observed Resident #50 reaching out with his right arm and swatting his wife's back, as they were lying next to each other in twin beds that had been pushed together. Resident #49 was lying on her side, turned away from Resident #50 when he hit her. Resident #49 then retaliated and reached back with her left arm and swatted her husband, hitting his right hand/arm. It was documented both residents were yelling, as both were very hard of hearing. It was documented Resident #50 grabbed and squeezed Resident #49's hand, digging his nails into her hand. Resident #49 started screaming, Abuse, abuse, he's hurting my arm. Call a doctor, call a lawyer. At one point during the physical altercation, Resident #50 sustained a skin tear to his hand. It documented both residents made contact with each other during the incident. Both of the residents sustained injuries, as a few hours later, staff noticed some bruising on the back of Resident #49's left wrist. The residents were immediately separated by the CNA who observed the physical abuse between the two residents. The CNA called for a nurse, who moved Resident #50 to another room in E Hall, where he still resides. Nursing staff assessed both residents for injury. The police department and Adult Protective Services were notified of the incident. D. Staffing training The SSD was interviewed on 8/26/21 at 9:52 a.m. She said the facility had conducted an all staff training on abuse on 7/2/21. The staff development coordinator (SDC) provided documentation on 8/26/21 that facility staff completed two separate abuse trainings in 2021. She said a CMS (Center for Medicaid and Medicare) course on abuse had been presented to all staff on 2/5/21. She said another training on abuse and behavior management had been presented to all staff on 7/5/21. She said both trainings lasted approximately 45 to 60 minutes each. E. Staff interviews The SSD was interviewed on 8/26/21 at 9:52 a.m. She essentially re-iterated what occurred between Resident #49 and Resident #50 on 7/28/21. (see above initial facility investigation). She said both residents still reside in separate rooms on E Hall and neither resident currently had a roommate. She said, following the initial investigation she filed the evening of 7/28/21, she was asked by the nursing home administrator (NHA) to begin the official facility investigation, which began 7/28/21 at 11:20 a.m. She said both Resident #49 and Resident #50 had cognitive deficits and she interviewed the residents separately. She said she interviewed Resident #50 first because she was the alleged victim. She said she then interviewed Resident #50, the CNA who witnessed the abuse, the nurse who assessed the residents and the only resident who was awake at the time of the abuse. She said initially, Resident #49 kept murmuring she wanted to die, but once the residents were separated, both appeared to be calmer and their anger seemed to have dissipated. The SSD said the facility did substantiate the allegation of resident to resident abuse, as it was witnessed by a CNA. She said because staff were not involved in the abuse and because there were no prior incidents of abuse between the two residents, the facility did not expand the investigation further. She said Resident #49 and Resident #50 were still able to visit each other, if they chose to do so, with staff monitoring both resident's mood and behavior and would chart on the visits by exception. She said, because Resident #49 had displayed continued anxiety and behaviors, the resident has not focused much on wanting to be with her husband. She said Resident #50 had been coming out of his room more often and was becoming more social since he stopped sharing a room with his wife. She said the facility was allowing the couple to visit, per their initiation, but neither resident were really asking for visits, which are very minimal. She said a few times, Resident #50 would go to the doorway of his wife's room and look into the room to check on her, but does not go into her room and will return to his room or the common dining area on E Hall. She said the couple's daughter has been focusing on stabilizing her mother's level of anxiety and is very involved in her parent's care, but due to the daughter's declining health issues herself, it limits her ability to come into the facility as often as she used to. She said the daughter still kept in frequent contact with staff via telephone. She said the daughter was fine with her parent's current living arrangement, but did ask staff if her parents would ever be able to room together again. She stated the facility answer was they would have to wait and see. The staff development coordinator (SDC) was interviewed on 8/26/21 at 1:56 p.m. She said a CMS course on abuse had been presented to all staff on 2/5/21. She said another training on abuse and behavior management had been presented to all staff on 7/5/21. She said both trainings lasted approximately 45 to 60 minutes each. She said if the facility substantiated any abuse allegation, additional education should have been provided to the staff, if requested of her. She said facility administration had not requested additional training be provided in the area of abuse, so she had not provided any additional staff training into abuse since 7/5/21. The nursing home administrator (NHA), director of nursing (DON) and quality assurance nurse manager (QANM) were interviewed together on 8/26/21 at 8:03 p.m. The NHA said they had developed an action plan to identify and prevent abuse in the facility. The NHA said it was a standard for their quality assurance (QA) program. She said the facility would monitor and discuss any issues with the SSD. All three being interviewed said they had not identified any trends related to abuse that were concerning prior to the start of the recertification survey beginning 8/23/21. The NHA facility reviewed any allegations of abuse during the 24-hour report every weekday and did not wait an entire month for QA to review the occurrences. The NHA said the facility was unaware of any abusive behaviors between Resident #49 and Resident #50 when they lived at home. She said the facility asked Resident #50 several times if he wanted to move into a different room because Resident #49 was so verbally abusive, but he declined. She said they were concerned that Resident #50 was not getting enough rest and he could just shut her off if he were in a different room. The DON said the facility had contacted the local mental health center's crisis line several times due to Resident #49's behaviors, but were denied services due to the resident's diagnosis of dementia and the fact they were unable to care for her physically in an inpatient setting. She said the facility attempted different things with Resident #49, such as different headphones, different music, bringing the daughter in visit with the resident, and one-on-one staff monitoring when needed. The NHA said the facility had looked into alternative placement , but the facility was not accepting new admission due to low staffing. She said many medication adjustments had been made for Resident #49 by the facility's medical director and they saw a bit of a trend of improvement and then further adjustments were needed. She said the facility has looked into geri-psych placements since the abuse altercation between the two residents. She said the facility did not foresee the altercation and felt the husband was just trying to keep his wife quiet when the altercation began. V. Resident #87 A. Resident status Resident #87, age greater than 65, was admitted on [DATE]. According to the August 2021 CPO diagnoses included chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), depressive episodes, history of falling and intertrochanteric fracture of right femur. According to the 8/10/21 MDS assessment the resident was cognitively intact with a BIMS of 15 out of 15. Moods included trouble falling/staying asleep, feeling tired or having little energy, poor appetite or overeating. She had no behaviors. She required extensive assistance of two persons for bed mobility and transfers and extensive assistance of one person for locomotion and toileting. B.Resident interview Resident #87 was interviewed on 8/23/21 at 9:41 a.m. She said that one night she had a run in with one of the nurses. She said that the nurse was rough with her when transferring her into bed and that she tossed her into bed like a ragdoll. She said the nurse was impatient and rushed. She said she told the nurse that she did not like being treated that way. The resident said the facility was short staffed, however; that did not mean that they had the right to treat people like that. She said she brought it to another nurses ' attention the following day. She said she was not afraid of the nurse and that she was still taking care of her when she was on duty. C.Staff interviews Registered nurse (RN) #5 was interviewed on 8/23/21 at 11:05 a.m. She said that she remembered that Resident #87 did mention something about negative staff treatment during a care conference meeting. She said that from what she could remember the resident reported there was a personality conflict or maybe a verbal abuse by the nurse on duty. She said that she could not remember exactly what the details were. She said she reported this immediately to the quality assurance nurse manager (QANM). The QANM was interviewed on 8/24/21 at 8:57 a.m. She said that RN #5 did report to her (on 8/12/21) that Resident #87 had made an allegation that a night nurse (RN #2) that worked with the resident the night before was rough, grabby and tossed her around like a puppet doll. The QANM said she immediately went to talk to the resident and based on what the resident said (see report below). She said the allegation was unsubstantiated due to it not meeting the elements of abuse and the conclusion of the investigation was that it was a personality issue. She said that the nurse was no longer to provide care or administer medications to the resident and that a certified nurse aide with medication authority would be available and scheduled on the same nights as the nurse. She said RN #2 had been suspended pending the investigation. -However, the RN #2 was not suspended when the resident reported the allegation to RN #5 to ensure her safety while the investigation was being conducted. The allegation was not reported to the State Agency (cross-reference F609) and a thorough investigation was not conducted (cross-reference F610). C. Record review -There was no documentation found in the resident's clinical record from 8/3/21 to 8/24/21 of an allegation of staff mistreatment. A psychosocial well-being care plan initiated 8/4/21, and with a goal date of 11/4/21, documented in part the resident had the potential for impaired psychosocial well-being related to recent lifestyle change resulting from admission. The interventions included in part to educate the resident about the location of resident rights and listen to her concerns and address them timely. An activities of daily living (ADL) care plan initiated 8/4/21, and with a goal date of 11/4/21, documented in part the resident had an acute decline in independence and impaired physical mobility related to a recent hospitalization and illness and she was at fifty percent weight-bearing status (WBS) for two weeks. Interventions included in part that the resident would obtain assistance as needed, nursing to monitor ADL status while continuing to receive therapy, positioning bars to be provided as needed to assist with bed mobility and provide progressive mobilization as directed per therapy. On 8/24/21 the facility provided a one page typed document of an allegation of abuse by Resident #87 that occurred on 8/12/21. The report documented in pertinent part that RN #5 reported to the QANM a concern by Resident #87. In RN #5's statement to the QANM she said that Resident #87 told her that she did not care for RN #2, who took care of her the night before. She said RN #2 was rough, grabby and tossed her around like a puppet doll. The QANM asked the resident what happened and the resident told her that the night before (8/11/21), RN #2 was giving here medications and she asked RN #2 if she would assist her. The resident said the RN did not have any patience. The QANM asked the resident if she had been injured or was afraid of RN #2. The resident said she was not afraid and to keep her away from me, I do not have to put up with that kind of behavior. She (RN #2) moved too fast and does not give you time to adjust or get ready. The QANM asked the resident about her comment she made about being a puppet doll. The resident said she felt that she received as much compassion as a puppet doll; hurried and tossed away. The QANM asked the resident if she felt like she was tossed and the resident said RN #2 was hurried and did not give her time to adjust to the movement and that she felt rushed. Review of progress notes and staffing schedule for 8/21/21 revealed that RN #2 was scheduled on the same unit as Resident #87 on 8/16, 8/17, 8/18, 8/23, 8/24 and 8/25/21 during the overnight shift. D.Additional interviews The QANM was interviewed a second time on 8/24/21 at 11:27 a.m. She said that when they receive an allegation of abuse that they initiate an in-house investigation. She said if the allegation was non-reportable they would complete a summary sheet. She said she did not have any additional supporting documents except some of her chicken-scratch notes. She said she would provide these. The QANM said that what the resident reported to her when she initially interviewed her did not constitute mistreatment because she had heard the information from a third-party; RN #5. The QANM said she had notified the director of nursing (DON) about Resident #87's allegations after she was made aware. She said the DON provided RN #2 with one-to-one education and tools so that there would not be a recurrence. She said she would provide additional follow up. RN #2 was interviewed on 8/24/21 at 5:58 p.m. She said that she had just been notified today before starting her shift that there was an allegation made against her by Resident #87 about something she had done to her last week when she worked. RN #2 said that she had gone into the resident's room and she was sitting on the side of the bed and she said she needed to go to the bathroom. RN #2 said she assisted her to the bathroom and then when she took her back to get her into her wheelchair the resident was not standing well and she was concerned that the resident was going to fall. She said she told the resident that she needed to get her into the chair right away and then guided Resident #87 into the chair quickly. She said the resident was not happy that she had to guide her and asked me why I was being so rough with her. RN #2 said the resident may have perceived that she was being rough with her however she did not feel she was rough. She said she then transferred the resident from the wheelchair into the bed. RN #2 said today was the first she had heard of the concern and that she had not been contacted previously, placed on suspension or told she was not to work with the resident. She said she was the only nurse at night in the rehabilitation unit and she worked Monday, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. She said she had continued working with the resident when she returned to work on 8/23/21. She said she was told today that the resident said it was ok for her to continue taking care of Resident #87. E.Facility follow-up The QANM was interviewed a third time on 8/26/21. She said that she had re-interviewed Resident #87 on 8/24/21 and based on what the resident reported about being thrown into bed, she initiated another investigation and then reported the incident through the State Agency as physical abuse on 8/24/21. She said the investigation was ongoing. She was asked if RN #2 had been suspended pending the new investigation started on 8/24/21 and she said no, she had not. Based on interviews and record review, the facility failed to ensure freedom from abuse and neglect for five (#31, #47, #49, #50, #87) of 27 residents reviewed out of 44 sample residents. Resident #31, who had severe dementia and was dependent for activities of daily living (ADLs), was physically and verbally abused and neglected by certified nurse aide (CNA) #8, who rammed her fingers into a table, refused to take her to the bathroom, and was verbally abusive during care provision. CNA #8's abuse and neglect of Resident #31 was observed and reported by fellow CNAs. Resident #31 was unable to express how those experiences made her feel. Resident #47, who needed extensive assistance with transfers, was neglected and received injuries in the shower room when CNA #1 banged and scraped her shin on the bath bed, then transferred her from her wheelchair to the bath chair without using a gait belt or locking her chair brakes. As a result, Resident #47 fell and injured her hand, ankle and shin. Further, Resident #47 said in an interview that she had recently been left unattended on the toilet for half an hour. She said both incidents hurt. Resident #87 reported that a night nurse was rough and threw her into bed like a rag doll during a transfer. She said she was not hurt and not afraid of the nurse, but she did not like to be treated that way. Residents #49 and #50 suffered resident-to-resident abuse during a physical altercation. Both residents sustained bruising and skin tears to their wrists and hands. Findings include: I. Facility policy and procedures The Abuse Prevention, Investigation and Reporting policy, dated March 2017, was provided by the nursing home administrator (NHA) on the afternoon of 8/23/21. The policy documented in pertinent part that management would take specific steps to reduce the potential for abuse to occur including, but not limited to, education, monitoring and investigating thoroughly if abuse, neglect or exploitation was suspected. In addition, incidents would be reviewed to determine if abuse was suspected, and if suspected, it would be investigated thoroughly. The facility would ensure staff patterns to meet the needs of the resident, and to assure that the staff assigned had knowledge of the individual residents' care needs. New staff were assigned to work with an employee during their orientation period to become accustomed to the residents. The supervision of staff would be ensured to identify inappropriate behaviors such as derogatory language, rough handling, and ignoring residents while giving care. Employees who suspected abuse were to immediately intervene to protect the residents. Any alleged employee suspect would be removed from contact with any resident and put on administrative leave during the investigation. If evidence was found to support abuse or neglect, the employee would be terminated. II. Resident #31 A. Resident status Resident #31, age [AGE], was admitted on [DATE]. According to the 6/17/21 significant change minimum data set (MDS) assessment, diagnoses included dementia, anxiety and depression. The 6/17/21 MDS assessment further documented Resident #31 had severe cognitive impairment with a brief interview for mental status (BIMS) score of eight out of 15. No behavioral symptoms or care rejection were documented. The resident used a wheelchair for ambulation and needed extensive assistance with bed mobility, transfers (by two or more staff), dressing, and toilet use. The resident was frequently incontinent and had a history of urinary tract infection (UTI). B. Resident observations Resident #31 was observed throughout the survey, conducted 8/22/21 from 6:05 to 9:30 p.m., and 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on 8/23, 8/24, 8/25 and 8/26/21. She used a wheelchair and was often in the common areas, pleasantly confused, and visiting with others. C. Interviews Certified nurse aide (CNA) #4 was interviewed on 8/26/21 at 10:42 a.m. She said she had reported abuse, but the allegations did not get passed along and nothing gets done. She said some staff were kind of rude to residents with dementia and Alzheimer's. She said she had reported but it was not addressed. She said CNA #8 was refusing to take Resident #31 to the bathroom. When Resident #31 would ask, CNA #8 would say no. She said she had reported to her supervisor and nothing had happened. I've watched (CNA #8) ram her (Resident #31's) fingers into the table and instead of saying 'sorry' she said 'well?' She said that happened last Tuesday. She said every time CNA #8 was in the room with Resident #31 she got angry that she had to provide her cares. Just Tuesday (two days prior) we wheeled her out and (Resident #31) said she needed to go to the bathroom, and CNA #8 said, 'I already took you.' We've reported before and nobody seems to care. It's rude. And you don't want to get backlash for reporting things. I've reported multiple times. I assumed someone reported from the new nursing class. What if she's doing that to other residents? We just don't know. The quality assurance nurse manager (QANM) was interviewed on 8/26/21 at 11:27 a.m. and the above allegations were reported to her. She said she was in the process of investigating, and that one of the CNAs who witnessed it called off and was not working, another CNA who witnessed it was working in the facility that day. She said CNAs #15 and #16 who reported were not working in the facility that day. She said CNA #16 yelled at CNA #8 and CNA #15 was a witness; CNA #5 saw CNA #8 refuse to take a resident to the bathroom. She said she definitely considered it abuse and neglect. She said it was reported to her late Tuesday afternoon, about 6:30 p.m., when CNA #4 came to her and reported and said she had already reported to CNA #3 and the assistant director of nursing (ADON). The ADON said she was already working on it. The first thing we do is make sure the residents are safe, and CNA #8 was suspended pending the investigation. The QANM said she and the SSD were finishing up their investigations and just typing up their notes now. Copies were requested. CNA #5 was interviewed on 8/26/21 at 11:53 a.m. She said Resident #31 constantly asks to go to the bathroom and she told CNA #8 she was capable of going, knew when she needed the bathroom, was really easy to work with, and if she had to go to the bathroom she knew when she had to go, but the CNA #8 said, I just changed her, it's okay. CNA #5 said she told CNA #8 you don't have to be mean to her, she's really nice. I said there's no reason for you to be rude to her. (Resident #31) said something to her like 'you're too pretty to have this attitude,' and CNA #8 said 'this is why I don't like her.' She said it in front of the resident. It was Tuesday around lunch time. She says stuff like that in front of residents, talks a lot about her personal stuff around residents, how her day's going, cussing. It's been going on but about six months. CNA #5 said she talked to CNA #4 about it, and was told CNA #4 had already reported her and I know other people have reported her multiple times but I personally have not. She said she reported to CNA #3, their lead CNA and then CNA #4. She said the facility had talked to CNA #8 and gave her multiple warnings. She did have to take an abuse test online but they had not been monitoring her, which she knew because she worked with her most of the time. I don't see her being rough, it's more like the way she talks to them, like with (Resident #31), she'll just say 'Roll' (as in roll over), so then the residents get confused and upset and she gets upset. It's more like she doesn't know how to talk to the residents. It's verbally abusive but I've never seen her being rough like physical abuse. D. Facility investigation During an interview on the evening of 8/26/21, the QANM provided undated, untimed interviews with CN[TRUNCATED]
CONCERN (D)

Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed

Deficiency F0583 (Tag F0583)

Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident

**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observations, interviews and record review, the facility failed to provide personal privacy during care for two (#78 an...

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**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observations, interviews and record review, the facility failed to provide personal privacy during care for two (#78 and #84) of eight residents reviewed out of 44 sample residents. Resident #78, who was dependent for transfers and most activities of daily living (ADLs), was observed being transported from the bath house to his room without being fully covered for privacy, in a hallway near a common area where other residents, staff and visitors could easily see him. Resident #84, who had severe dementia and was dependent for ADLs, was observed in her bed receiving evening care from a CNA. She was exposed because her door was partly open, her privacy curtain was not drawn, and she was wearing nothing but an incontinence brief and a hospital gown that was pulled up, covering only her chest. Findings include: I. Facility policy The Residents' Rights policy, dated 4/5/18, was provided by the director of nursing (DON) on the evening of 8/26/21. The policy provided in pertinent part: -Caring for residents in a manner that promoted and enhanced the quality of life of each resident, ensuring dignity, choice, and self-determination. -Providing services and activities to attain or maintain the highest practicable physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being of each resident. Residents had the right to: -Have private and unrestricted communication with any person of their choice; and -Be treated with consideration, respect, and dignity. II. Resident #78 A. Resident status Resident #78, under age [AGE], was admitted on [DATE] and readmitted on [DATE]. According to the August 2021 computerized physician orders (CPO), diagnoses included quadriplegia and multiple sclerosis. According to the 8/5/21 significant change minimum data set (MDS) assessment, the resident had moderate cognitive impairment with a brief interview for mental status (BIMS) score of nine out of 15. His previous 5/19/21 MDS, before hospitalization, assessed his BIMS at 12 out of 15. -On 8/5/21, his mood status showed he was tired with little energy, and he felt down, depressed and hopeless. He had no behavioral symptoms and no care rejection. He was totally dependent for bed mobility, toilet use, transfers and personal hygiene. He needed extensive assistance for dressing. D. Resident observation On 8/25/21 at 8:30 a.m., Resident #78 was wheeled from the shower room down the hall and into his room by CNA #6. He was draped in a bath sheet and was naked underneath, high up on a bath chair, exposed from the back with bare legs, his uncovered catheter bag half full of urine hanging and visible (no privacy cover), in view of the front common area, two surveyors and a resident who were walking directly behind him. The resident was not interviewed, as he was with staff members or in facility common areas during further observations. E. Staff interviews CNA #6 was interviewed immediately after the observation above, at 8:40 a.m. on 8/25/21. She said that was how she typically transported Resident #78 from the shower room to his room, and that was how she was trained to transport him, although she also said most residents left the shower room fully dressed. I didn't even think. I just wanted to be sure he didn't move or shift in the chair, especially when she wheeled him over the bump on the doorway threshold. She said she supposed she could have covered his back, legs and catheter bag before taking him out of the shower room. -The resident also could have fallen during the transport, being in an elevated chair, with the potential of involuntary movements from his diagnosis, and the bump in the threshold. The nursing home administrator (NHA) and director of nursing (DON) were interviewed on the evening of 8/26/21. They acknowledged Resident #78 was not transported from the shower room in a dignified manner that protected his privacy. The DON said it was a training issue. -Although the SSD provided documentation that CNA #11 was screened and trained by the nursing staff agency he worked for, there was no evidence the facility provided follow-up training regarding dignity, respect and privacy. IV. Resident #84 A. Resident status Resident #84, age [AGE], was admitted on [DATE]. According to the August 2021 CPO, diagnoses included hemiplegia following cerebral infarction and unspecified dementia. According to the 8/4/21 MDS assessment, the resident had moderate cognitive impairment with a BIMS score of nine out of 15. She exhibited fluctuating delirium symptoms of disorganized thinking and altered levels of consciousness. Identified mood indicators were feeling down, depressed, hopeless; sleeping too much; feeling tired and having little energy. She had no documented hallucinations or delusions. She was totally dependent for bed mobility, transfers, toilet use and personal hygiene. She needed extensive assistance with dressing. B. Observation On 8/22/21 at 6:58 p.m., Resident #84 was observed from the hallway via her partially open room door, lying on her back in bed. Her privacy curtain was not pulled closed and CNA #11 was standing at her bedside, adjusting her clothing and pillows. She was uncovered, wore a hospital gown that covered only her chest and a brief, and was not covered with a blanket or sheet. Upon knocking, entering the resident's room and asking how she was, the resident said to the surveyor that she felt like she was thrown around, and she was cold, lifting her gown up to her chin as if it was a blanket. CNA #11 was not observed to speak to the resident very much as he provided care, only telling her that he was getting her covered up and putting a pillow under her head. CNA #11 said he was trying to adjust Resident #84 with pillows and wedges because there had been some incidents involving falls. When the resident said she was cold, he went to get another blanket. She was unable to respond to questions other than to say she was cold, then thanked CNA #11 and called him honey. C. Staff interview and facility follow-up The SSD was interviewed on 8/24/21 at 9:00 a.m. The above observation and resident statement was reported to her. On 8/26/21, the SSD provided documentation of interviews with CNA #11 and Resident #84, conducted on 8/25/21. CNA #11's documented statement included Resident #84 was a high fall risk, was very restless, and when the surveyor entered the room on 8/22/21, he was repositioning her and placing wedges on each side of her for positioning as she was very confused and fell the day before. He said, Sometimes I do leave the door partially open when I am providing cares that are not revealing or uncomfortable, since I am a male providing care to a female. He said the resident's coccyx area was sensitive and he used a draw sheet to position and provide cares. He said when transferring her from a fall she was uncomfortable but it was done properly and he told her what was being done. An undated interview at 11:30 a.m. with Resident #84 revealed she said to the social services assistant regarding dignity, respect, abuse and rough treatment I don't know what you are talking about. -There was no evidence of facility follow-up training for CNA #11 regarding providing resident privacy during cares, or of ensuring there was sufficient staff to assist the CNA by providing female staff to assist with cares when needed. (Cross-reference F725, sufficient nursing staffing.)
CONCERN (D)

Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed

Deficiency F0604 (Tag F0604)

Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident

**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observations, interview and record review, the facility failed to ensure one (#62) of three residents reviewed for rest...

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**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observations, interview and record review, the facility failed to ensure one (#62) of three residents reviewed for restraints out of 44 sample residents were free from physical restraints imposed for purposes of convenience. Specifically, the facility failed to: -Release Resident #62's seat belt during supervised activities; -Create a care plan for the use of a seat belt for Resident #62; -Obtain a consent for the use of a seat belt for Resident #62; and, -Obtain an order that specified the reason a seat belt was being used for Resident #62. Findings include: I. Facility policy and procedure The director of nursing (DON) was interviewed on 8/26/21 at 11:00 a.m. She said the facility did not have a policy related to restraints, use of seat belts or tab alarms. She said the facility used assistive devices, including pad alarms, tab alarms and seatbelts. On the afternoon of 8/26/21, the DON provided a list of 21 residents in the facility who used these types of devices or restraints. II. Resident #62 A. Resident status Resident #62, age [AGE], was admitted on [DATE]. According to the August 2021 computerized physician orders (CPO), the resident's diagnoses included dementia, type II diabetes mellitus, generalized anxiety disorder, depression, malaise, absolute glaucoma and history of falling. According to the 5/4/21 minimum data set (MDS) assessment, the resident required limited assistance of one for eating. He needed extensive assistance of one for ambulating in his wheelchair and for personal hygiene. He required extensive assistance of two or more for bed mobility, transfers, dressing and toileting. This MDS documented the resident was not using any restraints and the trunk restraint box was not checked. It documented use of both bed and chair alarms on a daily basis. B. Resident observations and interview Observations of Resident #62 revealed that he had the seatbelt fastened. When the resident was eating meals his seatbelt was not unfastened by staff as indicated in staff interviews (see below) due to the staff being able to provide supervision. The resident disliked having the seatbelt and was not able to release the seat belt consistently and safely. Resident #62 was observed on 8/23/21 at 9:32 a.m. He was being assisted by staff propelling his wheelchair towards his room after passively participating in an exercise class. -At 9:43 a.m., the resident was seated in his room in his wheelchair. There was a seatbelt on the wheelchair which was secured across the resident's lap. There was also a tab alarm placed on the wheelchair. -At 11:34 a.m., the resident was one of three residents already seated in the main dining room. He was seated by himself at a table. He said he hated his seatbelt and was not sure why the facility was having him wear it all the time. He said he guessed it was so he did not fall out of his wheelchair. When asked, he said he did not recall ever falling out of his wheelchair. The seatbelt had not been released when he was seated at the dining room table. The resident was asked if he could release his own seat belt. He fumbled with the seat belt buckle and tugged at the belt, but did not appear to be able to release his belt at the time. -At 12:10 p.m., an unidentified female staff was observed assisting and encouraging Resident #62 with his meal. She was consistently observed assisting this resident until 12:28 p.m., but failed to release his seat belt while sitting with the resident during this observation. -At 12:42 p.m., staff returned the resident to his room and left him in his room without releasing his seat belt. The unidentified staff was observed turning on the resident's call light before leaving the room. The tab alarm also remained on his wheelchair. -At 12:46 p.m., the occupational therapist (OT) was observed answering the call light. She checked on the resident, but did not release his seat belt and left him in his room after starting an audiobook for the resident. -At 3:35 p.m., the resident was observed in bed. There was a fall mat on the left side of the bed and a tab alarm was observed near the head of the left side of the resident's bed. On 8/24/21 at 8:25 a.m., the resident was seated in his wheelchair in his room, listening to an audiobook. The resident's seat belt was secured around his lap and a tab alarm was also attached to his wheelchair. -At 9:47 a.m., the resident was lying down in bed. His eyes were open and the tab alarm was attached to the bed. -At 11:37 a.m., the resident was seated by himself at his dining room table. He was drinking a glass of milk. The seat belt was secured around his waist and the tab alarm was in place on the wheelchair. -At 12:26 p.m., the reisden's seat belt had not been removed for his meal, despite several staff observed in the dining room nearby assisting other residents. -At 5:15 p.m., the resident was seated in the main dining room by himself. The resident's eyes were closed. His seat belt had not been released at this time. On 8/25/21 at 8:35 a.m., the resident was observed seated in his wheelchair in his room. An audiobook was playing and the resident was tugging at his seat belt. He said he was strapped to this chair, that he did not like it and just wanted to lie down. His call light was attached near the seat belt and the resident could not find the call light to call for assistance. -At 9:42 a.m., staff assisting the resident with toileting in his room were overheard telling the resident they were going to put the seat belt back on him. Resident #62 said, This chair is terrible and I need to lie down. The restorative nurse aide (RNA) #2 said, I will let the girls (certified nurse aides ) know you want to lie down. The resident asked why she could not release his seat belt and help him to bed. RNA #2 said she would let the resident know when the CNAs could come and help him to bed. RNA #2 was overheard telling the certified nurse aide with medication aide (CNAMA) the resident was extremely uncomfortable and they needed to get someone to help him to bed. An unidentified staff said they would get the sit to stand (mechanical) lift. The CNAMA said she would get someone to help her transfer Resident #62 to bed. -At 10:10 a.m., the resident was observed in bed with his eyes closed. The tab alarm was placed on the upper left side of the bed and there was a fall mat on the left side of the bed. -At 11:37 a.m., the CNAMA was observed escorting the resident down to the main dining room. His seat belt had been removed prior to coming down to the dining room. -At 12:44 p.m., Resident #62 was observed in his wheelchair in his room, talking on the telephone. His seat belt had been fastened again. -At 5:25 p.m., the resident was observed eating his dinner meal with the social services worker (SSW) supervising and encouraging him with his meal. She failed to remove the resident's seat belt while he was seated at the table, eating his meal. -At 5:41 p.m., the resident's seat belt remained secured around the resident. No staff were observed assisting the resident at this time. On 8/26/21 at 8:20 a.m., Resident #62 was in his wheelchair with his seat belt secured. Once again, the resident stated he did not like his seat belt because it was uncomfortable and he did not know why he had to keep wearing it. He said the occasional alarms on his bed and chair did not bother him when the alarms sounded. -At 12:30 p.m., the resident was at his dining room table Staff were nearby, in the dining room, but not sitting at his table. His seat belt had not been released for this meal. -At 4:52 p.m., the resident was seated in the dining room at his table and his seat belt had not been released. -At 4:55 p.m., staff were taking the dinner order from the resident at this table and the staff taking the order did not release his seat belt. -At 6:00 p.m., two staff were assisting the resident with his meals. One was seated to his right and one was standing up near the side of the table. Neither staff had released his seat belt. C. Record review The fall care plan, originally dated 9/21/2020 and revised 7/29/21, documented the resident was at risk for falls related to impaired mobility and impaired balance. It documented the resident had a high/low bed with a fall mat and wedges. It documented the resident had sensor alarms on his bed and wheelchair. -The fall care plan failed to document that the resident had a seat belt restraint being used to prevent falls. -There was no care plan related to the use of a seat belt as a restraint. The DON was interviewed on 8/26/21 at 11:45 a.m. She said the self-releasing belt on wheelchair had been added to the resident's fall care plan on 8/26/21, after being identified during the survey. (See interviews below). The written order for Fit self-releasing seat belt to wheelchair was dated 6/14/21. -This order failed to include the specific reason the seat belt restraint was being used for Resident #62. -The facility was unable to provide a consent from the resident's power of attorney (POA) agreeing to the use of a seat belt on the resident's wheelchair. -There were no progress notes dated after 6/14/21 which documented the resident's POA had verbally agreed to the use of a seat belt on the resident's wheelchair. The progress note dated 6/25/21 documented the nurse contacted the resident's sister and POA, who reported her brother had been having delusions for some time now. There was no documentation that POA verbally consented to the use of seat belts on her brother's wheelchair. The falls risk assessment dated [DATE] documented resident was alert, had no changes or behaviors, sustained one to two falls past three months and needed assistance with toileting. He was functional mobility impaired for safe transfers. Resident #62's fall risk assessment score was 10 and anything 10 or higher was classified as high risk. It documented, Early sense monitoring in place for bed alert. Patient oriented to call light and verbal understanding. The 7/16/21 progress note titled Quarterly MDS assessment documented hall staff CNAs were interviewed regarding the resident's self-cares and mobility to which they stated the resident required extensive assistance of one with most cares. It documented the resident's participation with care may vary related to cognition and stamina. He required a bed sensor alarm and an alarming seat belt on his wheelchair to help prevent falls. III. Staff interviews RNA #2 was interviewed on 8/25/21 at 10:47 a.m. She said the resident participated in upper and lower extremity exercises, used the nu-step machine in the gym when he wanted to and she believed he was transferred with the sit-to-stand lift. She said he would participate in the Seniorcise exercise group quite often, but did not attend this date because he just wanted to lie down. She said he had fallen out of his wheelchair before because the resident tended to scoot himself forward in his chair and would tend to slide down if not repositioned. She said the facility placed a seat belt on his chair to remind the resident not to try to get up. She said she thought the resident could release the seat belt himself, but would get confused and try to release the seat belt by pulling it up and over his head. She said she observed him with his seat belt over his head and resting on the back of his shoulders because it had been loosely secured. She said when the resident was scooted forward in his wheelchair, he complained that it was too tight and uncomfortable. She said the resident should be assisted with repositioning in his wheelchair when needed, but the resident could reposition himself a bit by scooting himself back in his chair. She said staff should be checking on the resident at least every two hours to make sure his positioning still looked good. She said the seat belt should not be used for staff convenience and they still needed to check on his positioning often. The CNAMA #1 was interviewed on 8/25/21 at 11:37 a.m. She said this resident had increased vision loss and had increased confusion since then. She said the resident tried to get out of his wheelchair at times and the tab alarm and seat belt gave staff at least five minutes to get to him in case they were involved with other resident's care when Resident #62 attempted to get up. She said that Resident #62 had sustained no falls to her knowledge. She said the resident did not like wearing the seat belt and was yelling about it this morning, saying the seat belt was against his rights. She said the resident could remove his own seat belt, but he would not. She said the facility was taking extra precautions with this resident because he was increasingly confused. She was asked if any other times were appropriate to remove this resident's seat belt and she said they did on his better days when he had increased cognition. She said the staff would just keep better eyes on him during the days his belt was not on. She said they tried to keep this resident up as much as they could during the day and the seat belt was an extra safety precaution. She said the tab alarms had been added just recently because he had been trying to crawl out of bed when confused. Licensed practical nurse (LPN) #1 was interviewed on 8/26/21 at 8:30 a.m. She said Resident #62 had a seat belt and tab alarms because of his falling. She said he had rolled out of bed, stood up in his wheelchair suddenly, and had a fall while putting one leg in too far when using the sit to stand lift. She said his vision was worse, making him blind. She said he was moved to a room closer to the nurses' cart located on A Hall. She said his seat belt should be removed when the resident was in bed. The nursing home administrator (NHA) was interviewed on 8/26/21 at 9:30 a.m. She said the facility did not use restraints. She said a resident's seat belt on a wheelchair was not considered a restraint if he could self-release it. She said this resident could release his own seat belt. -However, observation (see above) revealed the resident could not release his seatbelt and did not like having it on. The social services director (SSD) was interviewed on 8/26/21 at 10:25 a.m. She said she did not consider Resident #62's seat belt to be a restraint, as the resident continued to be as mobile as he wants to be. She said nothing prevented Resident #62's wanted movement and he had never told her that he hated his seat belt. She said she did not know if Resident #62 could remove his seat belt or not. She said the seat belt had been ordered sometime during the month of June 2021. She said, related to a consent for alarms or seat belts, she was uncertain what the process was in terms of the physician's order, but she did expect the facility to have obtained either a written or verbal consent from either the resident or his representative. She said it was her expectation for a wheelchair seat belt to be care-planned. She said there was a fine line between using restraints and motivating a resident to move in a scope that was not self-harming. She said the facility had to look at the big picture, like risk vs. benefit. She said the facility needed to ensure a resident's daily living still went on without impacting their quality of life. She said the facility was looking at resident's potential for harm and since it was such a fine line, each resident needed to be looked at individually and discussed as a team. She said the times resident's seat belts should be removed should also be individualized and staff should continue to monitor residents for positioning and comfort and address those issues as needed. The DON was interviewed on 8/26/21 at 11:00 a.m. She said a wheelchair seat belt was not considered a restraint if the resident could self-release the belt. She said tab alarms were not considered restraints, they were assistive devices. She said there should be orders for alarms and seat belts and the orders should be specific as to why they were being used so all staff were aware of the reason. She said the facility should have obtained a consent for the use of seat belts and alarms. She said normally a phone call was made to the family if the facility was considering the use of an alarm or seat belt. She said the facility would obtain a verbal consent with the family at that time and document it in a progress note. She said the consent should have been discussed with the resident and responsible part on a quarterly basis as part of their quarterly care conference. She said alarms or seat belts should be removed if a resident declined to the point that they were no longer trying to get up on their own or if their condition improved. She said the use of alarms or seat belts should be care-planned. She said the restorative department was responsible for assistive devices, in general. The DON said she felt seat belts should be released when residents were in group activities, during meals and any other time the resident was being supervised. The NHA, DON and quality assurance nurse manager (QANM) were interviewed together on 8/26/21 at 8:03 p.m. The NHA said having both tab alarms and seat belts for one resident could be considered a double restraint. She said restraints could be helpful for some residents, while increasing anxiety for other residents. She said she knew Resident #62 could remove his seat belt because she had seen him release it in the past. She said she knew the SSW had been assisting the resident with his meals and releasing the resident's seat belt during meals would depend on his behavior. The NHA, DON and QANM all agreed his seat belt should have been released during any supervised situation, including meals. The DON said the facility would definitely be looking into the use of seat belts for Resident #62. She reiterated the facility did not want restraints in their building and would be looking at the whole program related to alarms, seat belts and other restraints.
CONCERN (D)

Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed

Report Alleged Abuse (Tag F0609)

Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident

Based on record review and staff interviews, the facility failed to report allegations of abuse to the State Survey and Certification Agency in accordance with State law for two (#6 and #87) of seven ...

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Based on record review and staff interviews, the facility failed to report allegations of abuse to the State Survey and Certification Agency in accordance with State law for two (#6 and #87) of seven residents reviewed for abuse out of 44 sample residents. Specifically, the facility failed to timely report allegations of: -An 8/24/21 allegation of physical abuse for Resident #6; and, -An 8/12/21 allegation of physical abuse for Resident #87. Findings include: I. Facility policies and procedures The Abuse Prevention, Investigation and Reporting policy, revised March 2017, was provided by the NHA on 8/26/21. The policy documented in pertinent part, The resident had the right to be free from abuse (including verbal, mental, sexual and physical) neglect misappropriations of property and exploitation Management will take specific steps to reduce the potential for abuse to occur an (named facility) including, but not limited to education, monitoring and investigating thoroughly if abuse, misappropriation, neglect, or exploitation is suspected All incidents will be scrutinized as to the potential of abuse. If abuse is alleged or suspected, it would be referred to the director of Social services for immediate preliminary investigation All employees in the facility have an obligation to report all investigations of abuse, neglect or misappropriation of resident property to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment within 24 hours of occurrence at the health facilities portal or by phone II. Resident #6 Resident #6 made an allegation of physical abuse by certified nurse aide (CNA) #12. -Through the facility's investigation it was determined that abuse did not occur (see NHA interview below (cross-reference F550 for dignity). However, the nursing home administrator (NHA) was provided the initial allegation of abuse by surveyor once it was determined that staff were not aware on 8/24/21 at 1:58 p.m. and was not reported to the State Agency by the nursing home administrator until 8/26/21 at 3:00 p.m. over forty eight hours after the potential physical abuse was reported. -The facility failed to report the allegation of abuse by Resident #6 to the State Agency. B. Staff interview The director of nursing was interviewed on 8/24/21 at 11:30 a.m. The director of nursing (DON) said she was not directly involved in abuse investigations. She said the investigations were coordinated with the NHA, social service director (SSD) and the quality assurance nursing manager (QANM). The SSD and the QANM were interviewed on 8/24/21 at 11:47 a.m. The QANA and the SSD said they were the facility's abuse coordinators. They said when a resident reports any type of mistreatment with staff the facility would initiate an investigation and determine if it met the criteria for reporting. The QANM said they would conduct a thorough and broad investigation, look at verbage used, get multiple persons' point of view, complete interviews, and review the state reportable example list for abuse before the report they would put into the State reporting portal. She said they would review all the initial findings, notify the NHA and report it if met criteria. The QANM said the NHA was the first line of contact with abuse and was notified of allegations. The QANM said the facility takes allegations very seriously. The SSD said they rather err on the side of caution and start investigation and then report right away and deactivate if there were no findings. She said all allegations were concerning. The SSD and QANM said they have not recently reported any about allegations for Resident #6. The SSD said she would have to review her files and notes to determine if Resident #6 had brought up any potential abuse concerns. The QANM said the NHA was the first line of contact with abuse. The SSD was interviewed on 8/24/21 at 1:54 p.m said she did not have and reports of abuse or potential abuse concerns from Resident #6 or staff on behalf of the Resident #6. The NHA was interviewed on 8/24/21 at 1:58 p.m. The NHA was informed Resident #6 reported she told staff that she longer wanted to work with an unidentified CNA because of the way the CNA treated her. She said she has not had to work with the CNA for the past week because she reported her concern. She said if residents had a personality issue with a staff member, the staff member would not be assigned to work with that resident. She said concerns addressed by the resident should have been documented. The NHA said the concern of treatment by a CNA would be investigated. The NHA said she was not aware of any concerns or allegations of potential abuse related to Resident #6 and no changes have been made to the staff schedule. The potential allegation of abuse was reported and reviewed with the NHA. The NHA was interviewed on 8/24/21 at 3:15 p.m.The NHA said no reports or documentation were found on the concern other than a general interview on resident care during routine rounds not related to the above concern. The NHA said she would interview Resident #6 on the reported allegation and determine the next course of action. -However, after the allegation was reported to the NHA, it was not reported to the State Agency until 48 hours after she was made aware of the allegation. The NHA was interviewed on 8/25/21 at 10:29 a.m. She said met with Resident #6 and determined the CNA that she did not want to work with was CNA #12. The NHA said the resident described her as rough but was more focused on the CNA being abrupt and fast. She said Resident #6 told her the CNA was abrupt in movements, contributing to the resident feeling jerked. The NHA said the resident told her she did not like her attitude and felt she was authoritarian. The NHA said the resident said she did not like her tone in voice or how she said her name. She said the resident told her that she felt the CNA did not realize how stiff she was due to her parkinsons but denied intentionally causing physical or verbal harm. The NHA was asked to provide any additional information on their findings and follow up actions. The NHA was interviewed on 8/26/21 at 12:08 p.m. The NHA said she did not report the allegation to the State Agency. She said the investigation was reviewed under dignity. The abuse policy in pertinent part was reviewed with the NHA. She said the allegation of potential abuse should have been reported in the State Agency and a formal abuse investigation started based on what was reported to her on 8/24/21. She said she would interview more staff and residents and report to the appropriate reporting agencies. The SSD was interviewed on 8/26/21 at 1:18 p.m. She said every incident that was reported would be investigated to ensure no abuse. She said the allegation for potential abuse for Resident #6 should have been reported to the State Agency. III.Resident #87 A. Abuse allegation Resident #87 revealed during an interview on 8/23/21 at 9:41 a.m. She said registered nurse (RN) #2 was rough with her and she tossed her in bed like a rag doll. The resident said she had reported to another nurse the following day. She said RN #2 was still providing care to her. (Cross-reference F600). -Record review revealed there was no documentation found that an allegation of physical abuse that was reported by the resident to registered nurse (RN) #5 on 8/12/21 perpetrated by RN #2. -The facility was aware of the allegation of abuse on 8/12/21 which the resident alleged occurred on 8/11/21 at night. -The facility failed to initiate a thorough investigation into the allegation of abuse and protect the resident during the investigation (cross-reference F610). -There was no documentation the allegation of physical abuse was reported to the State Agency when the allegation was told to RN #5. B. Staff interviews The social service director (SSD) and quality assurance nurse manager (QANM) were interviewed on 8/24/21 at 11:27 a.m. The SSD said she and the QANM were the abuse coordinators in the facility. The QANM said that the allegation by Resident #87 was not substantiated and was a non-reportable event and all they had was a one page investigation summary. The QANM was interviewed a third time on 8/26/21 at 6:08 p.m. She said that she had re-interviewed Resident #87 on 8/24/21 and based on what the resident reported about being thrown into bed, she reported the incident through the State Agency as physical abuse on 8/24/21 (identified during the survey).
CONCERN (D)

Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed

Deficiency F0744 (Tag F0744)

Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident

**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** III. Resident #49 and #50 Resident #49 and Resident #50 were a married couple who were residing in the same room on E Hall at th...

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**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** III. Resident #49 and #50 Resident #49 and Resident #50 were a married couple who were residing in the same room on E Hall at the time physical abuse between the two occurred on 7/28/21. Cross-reference F600 for abuse. -The facility failed to provide staff training related to Resident #49's dementia care to prevent physical abuse between a wife with dementia and her husband. The care plan dated 7/7/21 documented Resident #49 could be physically aggressive. It documented Resident #49 reached out, attempting to grab or touch anyone that was near, such as her spouse. The staff development coordinator (SDC) was interviewed on 8/26/21 at 1:56 p.m. She said she was not asked to provide any additional education to any facility staff related to abuse or dementia care following the resident to resident physical abuse between Resident #49 and Resident #50 on 7/28/21. B. Resident #49 status Resident #49, age [AGE], was admitted on [DATE]. According to the August 2021 computerized physician orders (CPO), diagnoses included dementia with behavioral disorder, generalized anxiety, major depression, delusional disorder, insomnia, restless leg syndrome, glaucoma and sensorineural hearing. The 7/1/21 minimum data set (MDS) assessment revealed the short-term memory was not coded and the long-term memory coded the resident had deficits. She was moderately impaired for daily decision making. There was no brief interview for mental status (BIMS) score completed on this MDS. This MDS documented the resident displayed physical behaviors directed towards others, verbal behaviors directed towards others and behaviors not directed towards others during one to three days during the seven-day lookback period. She received seven days of anti-anxiety medications and hypnotics during the seven-day lookback period. The MDS documented the resident required extensive assistance of one for bed mobility, transfers, ambulating in her wheelchair, dressing, eating, toileting, personal hygiene and bathing. C. Resident observations Resident #49 was observed on 8/26/21 at 8:15 a.m. She was seated in her wheelchair in her room and was facing the doorway. The resident's eyes were closed. There was a blanket over her lap and religious music playing in the background. The resident was alone in her room. -At 10:50 a.m., the resident was lying in bed, which was in the low position, with fall mats on the floor. The room was darkened. She was overheard calling out and asking staff for a drink of water. -At 4:52 p.m., the resident was lying in bed, on her right side, facing the hallway. Her eyes were closed and the fall mat was down. The room was still dark. D. Record review The August 2021 CPO documented the resident was prescribed the following medications: -Temazepam (an anti-anxiety medication), 15 mg QHS (every hour of sleep), which was ordered on 7/20/21; -Alprazolam (an anti-anxiety medication), 0.75 mg Q 6 hours prn (every six hours as needed), which was ordered on 7/29/21; -Sertraline (an anti-depressant medication), 25 mg QD (every day), which was ordered on 7/31/21; -Seroquel (an anti-psychotic medication), 25 mg QAM (every morning) and 50 mg QHS, which was ordered on 8/12/21. The care plan dated 7/7/21 related to mood documented Resident #49 had the potential for mood decline as evidenced by accusatory screaming, calling out and being difficult to redirect. It documented the resident was vision and hearing impaired, which exacerbated the resident's anxiety. Her spouse reported the resident had made negative comments as her health declined. It documented the resident yelled out comments such as Is there arsenic in those pills, there should be, Just shoot me, or You're abusing me when staff was providing proper care, when someone just entered the room or when no one was in her room at all. It documented the resident was physically aggressive, hit staff during care and was difficult to redirect. On 7/19/21, this care plan was updated to reflect the resident had been started on Sertraline for anxiety and depression. On 8/4/21, this care plan was updated to reflect the resident had been ordered Seroquel for a new diagnosis of delusional disorder. Interventions included investigating allegations of abuse or concerns as appropriate. This care plan was not updated on 7/28/21 in relation to a physical altercation between Resident #49 and her husband, Resident #50. The care plan dated 7/7/21 related to psychosocial well-being documented Resident #49 continued to have difficulty adjusting from the community to long term care status with increased episodes of anxiety, resulting in verbal outbursts which were disruptive towards other residents and may be impacting the resident's psychosocial well-being. This care plan was updated on 7/28/21 and documented, Due to increased potential for physical and verbal aggression towards spouse, they are no longer rooming together which decreases their time together. Interventions included encouraging participation in activities of interest, introduce Resident #49 to others with similar interests and encourage and provide individualized activities for the resident's room as needed. The care plan dated 7/7/21 related to behavior documented Resident #49 was irritable and had episodes of physical aggression. It documented she reached out, attempting to grab or touch anyone that was near, such as her spouse. It documented Resident #49 and her spouse would argue at times and would push each other's hands away, resulting in staff visibly seeing the residents' irritation with each other. The resident's spouse stated this was Resident #49's baseline anxiety due to her sensory impairments. It documented Resident #49 was verbally aggressive as evidenced by the resident screaming and yelling at staff. It documented she was demanding with unrealistic expectations of staff. She screams ouch and help as an anticipatory response to any ADL (adult daily living) or request for assistance. It documented, on 7/21/21, Resident #49 entered into a behavioral agreement to ensure the safety and dignity of others. She agreed to be respectful towards staff and to no longer spit, throw items at, scream while proper care was being provided, threaten to harm others and to use the call light instead of screaming and yelling. It was updated on 7/28/21 and documented physical aggression towards her spouse, resulting in injury to both Resident #49 and her spouse, Resident #50. It documented visits with her spouse would be monitored for safety as needed. -The care plans dated 7/7/21 did not include a care plan related to dementia or the resident's memory deficits. E. Staff interviews The social services director (SSD) was interviewed on 8/26/21 at 9:52 a.m. She said Resident #49 had dementia and cognitive deficits, as well as mental health diagnoses and sensory impairments of being legally blind and very hard of hearing. She said, other than monitoring the resident's mood and behaviors and charting those by exception, the facility has been unable to engage Resident #49 in activities or any type of therapy. She said the resident preferred to stay in her room and did not come out often. The SSD said the resident liked to stay in bed and slept a lot. She said the resident's primary care physician, who was their medical director, was adjusting her medication accordingly. -She did not mention any non-pharmacological approaches attempted with this resident. She said the resident's daughter was very involved in her care, but due to health limitations, was not able to visit as often as she used to. She said the facility had conducted an all staff training on dementia care on 5/5/21. The staff development coordinator (SDC) was interviewed on 8/26/21 at 1:56 p.m. She said if any type of facility internal investigation was substantiated, the facility should have provided additional education on the topic to their staff. She said those requests were initiated by the NHA, DON, or QANM. She said she was not asked by anyone to provide any additional training related to dementia care since 5/5/21. She said staff were given training related to dementia care upon hire and annually. She said there was mandatory training related to dementia care available to staff on-line through Pay Com, but many staff were overdue on their computerized training. She said she would send overdue notices to department heads for them to follow up with their staff and remind them of the required training yet to be completed. She said several of the nursing staff, six or seven CNAs and three or four nurses were overdue for their mandatory training. -The SDC provided the 2021 All Staff Topics training schedule. It documented they had dementia care training scheduled for 3/5/21, but that meeting was cancelled. They conducted a training for dementia care on 5/5/21, which the SDC said lasted 45 to 60 minutes. There was another training scheduled on resident rights and dementia, but that was not scheduled until 11/5/21. The NHA, DON and QANM were interviewed together on 8/26/21 at 8:00 p.m. The QANM said this resident spent a lot of time in bed and it had been difficult for the staff to meet her psychosocial needs. The NHA said dementia care had been taken to the QAPI (quality assurance performance improvement) team, but not consistently. She said additional training into dementia care was part of the PIP (performance improvement plan) and those trainings were on the Pay Com, computerized training system the staff completed on their pay days. The NHA stated the facility had called the crisis center at the local mental health center several times due to Resident #49's behaviors, but were denied services due to her diagnosis of dementia and because they could not care for her physically in an inpatient setting. She said the facility had attempted using different headphones and different music, having her daughter visit and having staff sit with her one-on-one at times. They said many medication adjustments had been attempted, with the result being a trend of behavioral improvement, then further adjustments. She said the facility had been considering a geri-psychiatrist or other placement. Based on observations, interviews and record review, the facility failed to provide adequate dementia care to ensure residents reached their highest practicable psychosocial potential for two (#84 and #49) of seven residents reviewed out of 44 sample residents. The facility failed to develop and implement a dementia care plan for Resident #84 to help her adjust to being newly admitted to the facility. Although she had daily hospice visits, facility staff were not observed providing in-room visits, socialization opportunities, or non-pharmacological interventions to address the resident's increasing distress. Moreover, she was denied a family compassionate visit, which upset the resident and her family. The facility further failed to provide effective dementia care interventions for Resident #49 to ensure she was free from resident-to-resident altercations. Findings include: I. Facility policy The Focused Dementia Care policy, revised October 2019, was received by the nursing home administrator (NHA) on 8/26/21 at 11:55 a.m. It documented the policy was created to address the issue of meeting the resident with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia where he/she is and entering that world as opposed to requiring them to conform to nursing home routines. Procedures include: -Staff to assess the environment regularly for too much or too little noise, light and stimulation; -Encourage maximal independence, time outdoors, physical activity and redirecting resident away from high stress environment; -Provide stimulation (to avoid boredom); ensuring an adequate number and type of activities on all shifts. Addressing loneliness/isolation; -Staff to assess for residents sleeping often during activities or dining; -Residents will be assessed for sensory deficits and how these deficits may impact cognition including use of adaptive equipment and ensuring that it is used appropriately and consistently; -Assessment performed for issues during care transitions (unit or room change) and what prompted the change. Information transferred effectively among care providers; and -Recognition that acceleration of behavior may signify an unmet need. Try to determine residents' needs, try distraction, activity, food, fluids, toileting or pain management. II. Resident #84 A. Resident status Resident #84, age [AGE], was admitted on [DATE]. According to the August 2021 computerized physician orders (CPO), diagnoses included hemiplegia following cerebral infarction (stroke) and unspecified dementia. According to the 8/4/21 MDS assessment, the resident had moderate cognitive impairment with a BIMS score of nine out of 15. She exhibited fluctuating delirium symptoms of disorganized thinking and altered levels of consciousness. Identified mood indicators were feeling down, depressed, hopeless; sleeping too much; feeling tired and having little energy. She had no documented hallucinations or delusions, and no behavioral symptoms or rejection of care. She was totally dependent for bed mobility, transfers, toilet use and personal hygiene; and needed extensive assistance with dressing. B. Resident observations Resident #84 was observed periodically throughout the survey, from 6:05 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on 8/22/21, and 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on 8/23, 8/24, 8/25 and 8/26/21. Observations revealed Resident #84 spent most of her time in bed on her back in her room. Although her bed was by the window, her blinds were drawn and she could not see outside. Her television was out of her line of vision and positioned high on the wall near the ceiling, above and behind her head to her left side. No music was playing in her room. There were no sensory stimulation items observed for her to touch, hold or handle. She was observed with a small teddy bear in bed next to her on one occasion, on the afternoon of 8/23/21. On one occasion, on 8/24/21, she was observed in the dining room during a lunch meal, and was calm and engaged in the television show that was playing. On one occasion she had religious music playing in her room, on the evening of 8/26/21. Although crochet supplies were observed on her bedside table, during all the observation periods above, she was never observed being offered them, and they were positioned where she could not readily see them. She was never observed being invited to activities, taken outside to enjoy the sunshine, or being offered or participating in visits with snacks, hand massages or manicures. C. Record review 1. Care plans The resident's cognition care plan, initiated 7/29/21 and revised 8/10/21, identified a diagnosis of dementia with episodes of disorganized thinking. She was admitted to hospice. Interventions were: -Allow and encourage resident to make her own decisions -Notify physicians of unexpected changes in her condition -Referral for speech therapy if needed -BIMS as needed -Listen/validate feelings and concerns -Provide clocks and calendars and verbal reminders -Monitor behaviors -Allow resident to choose clothing/shoes as able -Hospice support. The mood care plan, initiated 7/29/21 and revised 8/10/21, identified the potential for mood decline. The resident was admitted on hospice and had some crying episodes. Triggers were feeling down, trouble sleeping and feeling tired. She declined the need for a licensed clinical social worker at the time. She was started on Haldol for agitation/restlessness. Interventions included: validate feelings, notify physician of unexpected changes to mood, music, encourage activities/socialization, and refer for spiritual support as needed. The activities care plan, initiated 7/29/21 and revised 8/10/21, identified the resident was pleasantly confused and often has nonsensical conversation. She worked as a cook. She is most content in the comfort of her room watching television. She embraces her faith and reports she is a very spiritual person and prays often. She will have the opportunity to regularly attend church services. She has regular visits form the hospice chaplain. She is in contact with her loved ones via phone and has opportunities for scheduled in person visits. She reports poor eyesight and is unable to read large print, she was offered audio books and refused. She enjoys country western music and has accepted in room music with country western and religious CDs. Activities will provide social visits to orient her to activity staff and activity schedule. She has no stated goals for activities. The interventions were: -Provide social visits, re-orient when having increased confusion, transport to and from any activity she attends, assist with in room music. -Provide with a monthly activity calendar, offer independent activity materials, notify, invite and encourage to attend activity groups. The behavior care plan, initiated 8/10/21, identified delusional episodes. She thought her dog was in the parking lot and wanted to get her car from down the street, which was not accurate. She also had hallucinations, bending over trying to feed her dog who was not there. She had poor safety awareness and was very restless with increased fall risk. Interventions were: -Notify physician of changes in behavior -Monitor behavior -Positive distraction/reminisce -Call daughter for added support -Encourage socialization as able -Assist with tasks -Validation -Compassion visits as appropriate. 2. Activity assessment and participation documentation According to the 8/4/21 activity assessment, Resident #84 received extra support from hospice, enjoyed crocheting, country western in-room music, had Christian religious preferences, and enjoyed walking/wheeling outdoors when weather permitted. She enjoyed television, specifically the TBS channel, TV Land, westerns and Price is Right. She was interested in vegetable gardening, socializing with staff, and her hobbies were television and crocheting. 3. Interdisciplinary team (IDT) progress notes IDT notes revealed in pertinent part the following: On 7/29/21 at 1:39 p.m., the resident had refused breakfast and lunch, was complaining of pain and grimacing, and had difficulty feeding herself and drinking fluids. The resident's family was contacted for a compassionate visit. On 7/30/21 at 5:29 p.m., the resident had been crying several times throughout the day, requesting to call her daughter or see her kids. On 7/30/21 at 11:17 p.m., per nurses' notes, the resident's daughter voiced the following concerns in pertinent part: the resident's TV was not on all day, she needed one-to-one feeding assistance, she had not been getting up since her hospitalization due to pain so she needed to sit straight up in bed to eat, she was unable to reach her water and had not been given water all day, and she had not received any updates from staff since her mother arrived. The nurse documented she addressed the above concerns as she was able and facilitated a phone call between the resident and her daughter. On 7/31/21, the resident's daughter visited in the morning and into the afternoon. On 8/8/21 at 1:02 p.m., the resident was up in her chair for meals that day, tolerating well. On 8/11/21 at 9:31 a.m., care conference notes with hospice and facility staff, resident and family participating, revealed hospice staff reported the resident was working through some depression and transition to a new place, missed her home and family, and suggested bringing some photos from home to make her room more homelike, and offering crocheting, which the resident was willing to try and her daughter said she would bring in. On 8/20/21 at 2:32 p.m., the resident was extremely restless and agitated all shift, frequently calling out for help. Staff would respond and while they were still in the room she would call out for someone to please come and help her. She also kept repeating that she wanted to go home. Haldol (antipsychotic medication) and morphine (pain medication) were administered to try to reduce her restlessness and agitation. On 8/21/21 at 8:00 p.m. the nurse noted receiving a call from the resident's granddaughter who said she would be coming from out of town for a visit the next day. The nurse wrote she had been told in report that the resident no longer could receive compassion visits. The resident's granddaughter was very upset and the nurse later facilitated a call between the resident and her granddaughter but the resident was very agitated and unable to hold a conversation. The hospice nurse later facilitated a call with the nurse and the resident's daughter, who said she had been turned away for a visit that day, and her daughter was being denied a visit tomorrow, and she was very upset. The nurse documented the resident's daughter was too agitated to talk to her mom and ended the call. The hospice nurse called back and asked for the facility fax number to send a recommendation to continue compassion visits. The nurse noted the fax was received and this issue took about 1.5 hours. On 8/21/21 at 12:59 a.m., the nurse documented the resident had significant agitation this evening and continually called out for help. The CNA and nurse responded several times to provide care; the resident was unable to state what she needed. PRN (as needed) morphine was given with no effect. PRN Haldol was given with effectiveness. On 8/21/21 at 6:10 a.m. the resident was heard calling out for help and was found on the fall mat next to her bed. Her Foley catheter was pulled out. On 8/21/21 at 7:27 a.m., the social services director documented due to continued restlessness/agitation and decline family was approved to continue with in room compassion visits at this time. Hospice nurse agreed compassion visits remain appropriate. Resident is unable to be up long enough for an outdoor visit. Compassion visits will be reviewed as needed and if in room compassion visits end POA will be notified prior to stopping them. Attempted to contact POA via phone, no answer. Did let nurse know and to inform family if they call. -There was no documentation to show why the resident's compassionate visits were discontinued or why there would be any reason they were not allowed to continue. There was no further documentation about the resident's daughter having been turned away the day before, or that the resident's granddaughter was called so she could visit that day. On 8/21/21 at 2:59 p.m., the resident had been agitated and restless much of the shift, and was given Haldol and morphine. She remained restless until about 2:30 p.m., and was now lying comfortably in bed and reported she was feeling a little better. On 8/22/21 at 10:36 a.m., the resident was restless that morning. The hospice nurse visited and said new orders would be faxed. On 8/22/21 at 4:42 p.m., maintenance staff alerted nursing that they saw the resident on the floor, lying between her bed and the window. She had been agitated and had Haldol and PRN pain meds. Her Foley catheter was out with the balloon intact. Her bed was positioned as low as possible with fall mats on either side. Did call hospice and a hospice nurse will come out and evaluate whether to replace Foley or not since second day in a row Foley was pulled out due to agitation and falling out of bed. Did give another dose of Haldol and one oxy and resident did take without a problem. Resident does not call on call light and frequent checks on resident by staff. On 8/23/21 at 2:19 p.m., the resident continued with extreme agitation and restlessness. Last evening there were some delusional statements about a man but she wasn't very coherent. This morning she wanted up in a chair so we put her in a chair and she was attempting to crawl out of the chair. Hospice nurse in now. Observed her condition and ordered increase in meds. On 8/23/21 at 6:45 a.m., the resident was lying on the ground next to her bed and dresser, oxygen tubing had snapped, looked as if the resident had tried to pull herself up with the dresser, as shelves were missing and contents of the drawers were on the ground. The resident was screaming out in pain and asking for help. On 8/23/21 at 4:26 p.m., hospice was called and asked if a bed might be available at the inpatient center or if hospice had someone who could sit with the resident. Called pharmacy for fill of recent Ativan order and hospice had not yet sent them a script. The pharmacy was following up with hospice to be able to fill the order. -The facility did not provide staff to sit with the resident when hospice did not respond to their request. On 8/23/21 at 4:49 p.m., the resident was found on the floor on her stomach between her wheelchair and the bed, yelling out for help to get me up. The resident denied injury or pain. The nurse spoke to the resident's son and asked if there was a family member or friend who could sit with the resident. He said he would talk with the family. On 8/24/21 at 3:33 p.m., the resident remained confused, short term memory was poor, she could not remember whether she had eaten a meal, what she had to eat, when she spoke with her daughter, whether she had taken her medications. Wider bed put in place today as another intervention to try to prevent falls out of bed. She had a bath today, chaplain in visiting with her now. No distress noted or ill effects from medications. On 8/24/21 at 9:57 p.m., the resident continues to attempt to crawl out of bed, and was confused and cannot be educated on calling for help. On 8/25/21 at 4:35 p.m., an order was received to increase Haldol to 1mg every four hours, and Ativan 2 mg/ml 0.5 mg every eight hours, scheduled. On 8/25/21 at 6:00 a.m., the resident, during a period of agitation, pulled Foley catheter out with balloon intact. Notified physician, reinsert catheter. On 8/25/21 at 10:32 p.m., a nurse documented the resident was given 5mg of Ativan instead of the ordered 0.5mg. Resident is responsive to touch, voice, and respiratory rate is 18 with no adverse reaction noted. On call physician was notified with a response of monitoring the patient's respiratory rate due to the fact that the resident is also taking morphine and Haldol. Family is being notified. Resident will continue to be monitored throughout the night. (Cross-reference F760, significant medication error.) D. Staff interviews Licensed practical nurse (LPN) #4 was interviewed on 8/25/21 at 10:53 a.m. She said she kept her medication cart at Resident #84's end of the hall because she had had numerous falls because she got agitated and fell out of bed. She said she thought the resident was having terminal agitation. LPN #4 said Resident #84 had no serious injuries from her falls, but had received some abrasions. She said she was talking to staff about getting Resident #84 up and out of bed more because she seemed to enjoy having others around. She said she had also recently learned that the resident enjoyed watching soap operas on television. The activity director was interviewed on 8/25/21 at 5:05 p.m. She said the resident was new to the facility and had support services from hospice. She reviewed the resident's care plan, saw that she liked television, and said she could get her television moved. She said she had not heard about Resident #84 enjoying soap operas, and recalled that she refused music although her care plan said she enjoyed country-western and religious music. She said Resident #84 got tearful by the end of meals in the dining room. She said it was difficult to engage the resident in activities because she had delusions and was on hospice, and seemed overstimulated when she was out and about. She did not mention any activities she had attempted to provide for Resident #84. (See activity participation documentation above, which showed only four 15-minute one-to-one activities since the resident's admission on [DATE].) CNA #4, who provided care for Resident #84, was interviewed on 8/26/21 at 10:42 a.m. She said, There's not a whole lot of dementia care; I try to help them. Residents could use more activity, doing stuff, getting out of their rooms. (Resident #84) is kind of difficult, you get her in a chair and she wants to lay back down or she lays down and wants to get right back up. I think she could use someone going in and visiting and talking to her. (Cross-reference F725, sufficient nursing staffing.) The quality assurance nurse manager, director of nursing and nursing home administrator were interviewed on 8/26/21 at 8:00 p.m. They said dementia care was something they discussed regularly in quality assurance meetings. They said they provided staff training regarding dementia care, trauma informed care and behavioral interventions. They said they were unaware of any time Resident #84 was denied compassionate visits from her family.
CONCERN (D)

Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed

Deficiency F0760 (Tag F0760)

Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident

**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on record review and interviews, the facility failed to prevent a significant medication error for one (#84) of one reside...

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**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on record review and interviews, the facility failed to prevent a significant medication error for one (#84) of one resident reviewed out of 44 sample residents. Specifically, Resident #84 was administered an incorrect dose of antianxiety medication, 10 times what was ordered by the physician, on the evening of 8/25/21. Findings include: I. Facility policy The Medication Orders policy, revised October 2019, was provided by the director of nursing (DON) on the evening of 8/26/21. The policy did not include following physician orders. The policy did include the statement that a current list of orders (CPO) must be maintained in the clinical record of each resident and are necessary to avoid confusion and errors. They are found in either the hard chart or the electronic medical record. II. Resident status Resident #84, age [AGE], was admitted on [DATE]. According to the August 2021 CPO, diagnoses included hemiplegia following cerebral infarction (stroke) and unspecified dementia. According to the 8/4/21 MDS assessment, the resident had moderate cognitive impairment with a BIMS score of nine out of 15. She exhibited fluctuating delirium symptoms of disorganized thinking and altered levels of consciousness. Identified mood indicators were feeling down, depressed, hopeless; sleeping too much; feeling tired and having little energy. She had no documented hallucinations or delusions. She was totally dependent for bed mobility, transfers, toilet use and personal hygiene. She needed extensive assistance with dressing. III. Record review Resident #84 had a physician order dated 8/25/21 for Ativan (antianxiety medication) 2mg/ml (0.5 milligrams) oral every eight hours starting 8/25/21. Review of nursing progress notes revealed on 8/25/21 at 10:32 p.m., a nurse documented the resident was given 5mg of Ativan instead of the ordered 0.5mg. Resident is responsive to touch, voice, and respiratory rate is 18 with no adverse reaction noted. On call physician was notified with a response of monitoring the patient's respiratory rate due to the fact that the resident is also taking morphine (pain medication) and Haldol (antipsychotic medication). Family is being notified. Resident will continue to be monitored throughout the night. -The resident was administered an additional 4.5 mg over the ordered dose of the antianxiety medication. A follow-up nursing note on 8/25/21 at 11:47 p.m. documented, Res (resident) continues to be stable. Resps (respirations) are 16. Resident is responsive to touch and voice. The Medication Discrepancy Report, dated 8/25/21, no time documented, was provided by the director of nursing (DON) on the evening of 8/26/21. The error was wrong dose. The incident was described as follows: (Resident #84) has scheduled Ativan 0.5mg oral every 8 hours. A dose of 5mg was given at 2200 (10:00 p.m.) by mouth. The resident condition was documented as follows: Resident is lying in bed, no SOB (shortness of breath), no discomfort, able to speak, resident was confused before dose was given & is still A&Ox1 (alert and oriented to self only), no change. The corrective action taken was: Physician notified, family notified, resident is being monitored. The measure taken to prevent recurrence was: Education on double checking doses. The physician's response was: Monitor respiratory rate. A nursing note on 8/26/21 at 2:42 p.m. documented, Resident resting quietly in bed, checked frequently, arouses easily. Respirations 16, unlabored. PM medications held due to lethargy. Daughter in for compassion visit. Foley catheter draining dark clear urine. Repositioned (every) 2 hrs. No complaints or signs/symptoms of pain. IV. Resident observations Resident #84, observed periodically throughout the day on 8/26/21, slept throughout the day. V. Staff interviews Resident #84's nurse, licensed practical nurse (LPN) #4, was interviewed on 8/26/21 at 11:00 a.m. She said she was checking on Resident #84 often to follow up on the medication error from the night before. She said the resident was doing fine, but she was very somnolent. The director of nursing (DON), quality assurance nurse manager and nursing home administrator were interviewed on 8/26/21 at 8:00 p.m. The DON said it was unfortunate the medication error had occurred, that the nurse read the order wrong and gave the incorrect dose. She said no other significant medication errors had occurred the previous night, or recently at the facility. They said medication errors were always discussed in quality assurance meetings.
CONCERN (E)

Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed

Resident Rights (Tag F0550)

Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents

**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** IV. Resident #6 A. Resident status Resident #6, age [AGE], was admitted on [DATE]. According to the August 2021 computerized ph...

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**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** IV. Resident #6 A. Resident status Resident #6, age [AGE], was admitted on [DATE]. According to the August 2021 computerized physician orders (CPO), diagnoses included Parkinson's disease, anxiety disorder, other specific depressive episodes, and osteoarthritis. According to the 5/21/21 minimum data set (MDS) assessment, the resident had moderate cognitive impairment with a brief interview for mental status (BIMS) score of 12 out of 15. Resident #6 required extensive assistance of one person's physical assistance with bed mobility, toilet use, transfers, dressing and personal hygiene. Set needed supervision with set up for eating. B. Resident interview Resident #6 was interviewed on 8/23/21 at 3:06 p.m. She said some staff she had to work with were not compassionate or competent. She said she thought some staff did not know how to work with people with disabilities. She said sometimes staff can be insensitive to her. Resident #6 said she overheard one certified nurse aide tell other staff that the resident could do more with her hands than she led on to. She said it hurt her feelings. She said she tried hard but had limitations in her hands due to Parkinson's and a deformity with fingers. She said there were other CNAs she had concerns with at the facility too. The resident requested to continue the interview at another time. Resident #6 was interviewed on 8/24/21 at 9:14 a.m. She said she has had difficulty with one CNA everytime she worked with her. She said she could describe but did not know her name. She said the CNA was young, big and did not know how strong she was and could be rough and rushed doing cares. Resident #6 said the CNA was rough and rushed each time the resident had to work with her. The resident said she was very stiff and it hurt her when the CNA she shoved the pulse oximeter on her finger and when she was jerky and abrupt with transfers. Resident #6 said the CNA was demeaning to her in her manner of speaking. She said she felt like the CNA talked down to her and she did not like the tone in her voice when she used her name or said Honey or Hon. The resident said she asked the CNA not to seem more irritated with her when she asked her not to say her name with a belittling tone. The resident said the CNA made her feel like a child. She said she told other staff and has not worked with her for the past week. Resident #6 was interviewed again on 8/25/21at 11:29 a.m. The resident said that she felt mean requesting not to work with the CNA who was very authoritative towards her but really did not like the way she was treated by her. She said she was informed that she will not have to have her as her CNA anymore. Resident #6 said that it made her feel happier. C. Staff interview The social service director (SSD) and the quality assurance nursing manager (QANM) was interviewed on 8/24/21 at 11:47 a.m. The SSD and the QANM identified themselves and the facility's abuse coordinators and nursing home administrator provided oversight. The SSD said she did not recall any abuse or dignity concerns addressed by Resident #6 or reported by staff. The QANM said when a resident stated staff was rushed or too fast, education was usually offered to all staff working with the residents. The NHA was interviewed on 8/24/21 at 1:58 p.m. The above concerns were reported and reviewed with the NHA. She said she was not aware of the care concerns and no one reported to her that Resident #6 did not want to work with a CNA because of the way she was treated by her. She said if residents had a personality issue with a staff member, the staff member would not be assigned to work with that resident. She said concerns addressed by the resident should have been documented. The NHA said the concern of treatment by a CNA would be investigated. The NHA was interviewed on 8/24/21 at 3:15 p.m. She was not aware if Resident #6's 7/21/21 concern was followed up with after Resident #6 reported it. The NHA said no reports or documentation was found on the concern other than a general interview on resident care during routine rounds. She said the statement read that the resident heard a staff member say she was pretending that she could not do much for herself. The NHA said she felt the concern was a dignity issue. The NHA said she would interview Resident #6 on the above concerns and determine the next course of actions. The NHA was interviewed on 8/25/21 at 10:29 a.m. She said met with Resident #6 and determined the CNA that she did not want to work with was CNA #12. The NHA said the resident described her as rough but was more focused on the CNA being abrupt and fast . She said Resident #6 told her the CNA was abrupt in movements, contributing to the resident feeling jerked. The NHA said the resident told her she did not like her attitude and felt she was authoritarian. The NHA said the resident said she did not like her tone in voice or how she said her name. She said the resident told her that she felt the CNA did not realize how stiff she was due to her Parkinsons but denied intentionally causing physical or verbal harm. The NHA said the CNA was currently attending school and only working as needed. She said the facility interviewed staff and other residents. She said no longer resident expressed a concern with the CNA and none of the staff said they were aware of the resident's concern with CNA #12. The NHA said she was concluding the investigation with possible education if the CNA decided to return to the facility. She said the CNA would not be scheduled to work with this resident.The NHA said she informed the resident's daughter of the concern and informed that Resident #6 would not receive care from CNA #10. The social service assistant (SSA) was interviewed on 8/25/21 at 3:17 p.m. She said residents had the right to be treated with respect and dignity. She said residents were interviewed when they expressed a grievance of concern with staff. The SSA said they address the concern and determine what actions would be taken. She said the residents should feel safe and comfortable at the facility. The SSA said any negative words, feelings would be investigated and reviewed under abuse and dignity. She said if a resident said they were not being heard, spoken to as if they were a child, it would be a dignity concern. The social service director (SSD) was interviewed on 8/26/21 at 1:03 p.m. She should have followed up with Resident #6 after she told staff on 7/21/21 she said she overheard a staff member talk about her. She said should have reviewed her concern as a dignity concern. She said she should have asked the residents for descriptive details to help determine who she overheard and provide staff training. She said she should have followed up with the resident to determine how she felt about her concern. The NHA was interviewed again on 8/26/21 at 11:48 a.m. She said the facility did not identify which staff member said Resident #6 was pretending that she could not do more for herself then she could. She said social service completed the interview with the resident but there was no additional action. She said the concern should have been investigated further on 7/21/21 to identify the CNA right away by asking questions on description, when it occurred, and on what shift. She said the facility would have provided corrective action and education to that staff member and ensured the resident felt comfortable. She said residents should feel safe and comfortable in the facility. D. Record review The August 2021 care plan for psychosocial well being identified Resident #6 had a potential for impaired psychosocial well being. Interventions included listening to the resident's concerns, addressing timely and providing opportunities for open communication related to situational stressors. The August 2021 care plan for mood identified the tearful episodes. According to the care plan, staff should validate her feelings. The August 2021 care plan for mobility identified the resident had a self care deficit related to Parkinson's and osteoarthritis. A 7/21/21 statement was provided by the NHA on 8/24/21 at 3:15 p.m. The NHA said the statement was in response to general questioning on care provided during rounds. The statement read They are ok (staff) most of the time they are fine and nice. One time I was using the sit to stand and I am stiff in the morning and the gal told me I was pretending there was something wrong with my hands. The other day I was getting up and I have leg spasms and they told me that I needed to try, I can't. Minutes from an 8/5/21 staff meeting were provided by the social service director on 8/26/21 at approximately 11:30 p.m. The minutes read in pertinent part: Resident #6 (identified by her room number) has a progressive disease that affects her stamina and ability to perform self-cares. Please be encouraging and not condescending when appropriately pushing her to do as much as she can for herself. She is sensitive and when she feels rushed it increases her anxiety and decreases her ability. Be patient, positive and empathetic. A documented interview with Resident #6 was provided by the NHA on 8/25/21 at 10:29 a.m. According to the documented interview, Resident #6 reiterated that she did not have to work a certain CNA. The CNA was identified as CNA #12. A warning statement for CNA #6 was provided by the facility on 8/26/21 at approximately 7:50 p.m. According the the warning statement, CNA #12's approach and attitude was addressed as a complaint. The statement read her tone of voice could seem belittling and her approach abrupt. The statement instructed CNA #12 to provide residents with their physical needs as well as their emotional needs. An education letter was provided by the facility on 8/26/21 at 1:03 p.m. The letter read a resident felt CNA #12 had an authoritative approach, and was fast and abrupt. According to the letter the concerned resident felt the CNA did not realize how stiff her Parkinson's could make her. The letter requested CNA #12 to change her approach. The education letter provided education on how to work with the residents and why an appropriate approach was important. Examples of appropriate interactions included greeting the resident and talking to her as if she was a friend or relative, offering conversation to help bond with them. The letter reminded the CNA that listening to the residents helped them feel better. The letter revealed the facility required CNA #12 to agree to soften her approach and put enthusiasm'' in her attitude. E. Facility follow up The NHA, the director of nursing (DON) and the quality assurance nurse manager (QANM) was interviewed on 8/26/21 at 8:03 p.m. The management team said they were going to incorporate a hospitality aide on each hall to help staff feel that they did not have to rush with activities of daily living care (ADLs). The hospitality aide would be able to assist in non-clinical needs of the residents so the CNAs would have more time with personal care. V. Dignity with dining A. Resident observation and interview On 8/25/21 at 12:45 p.m. Resident #6 was observed sitting in the dining room with her tablemates. The tablemates had completed lunch plates in front of them waiting to be picked up. Resident #6 did not have a plate in front of her. She said she had been in the dining room since 11:30 a.m. Resident #6 said she ordered spaghetti and meatballs. She said she was told by three people the order was special and it was coming but she needed to wait. -At 12:50 p.m. Resident #6 was served a plate of spaghetti and meatballs. The posting in the dining room read the lunch meal would begin at noon. B. Resident interview The resident was interviewed on 8/26/21 at 4:47 p.m. She said she tried to always have patience but waiting for her spaghetti for an hour was frustrating. She said everyone around her had their lunch and she had to just wait as they ate. Resident #6 said it upset her because she felt serving her lunch was not as important. She said she was not informed that her spaghetti would take so long. She said she was worried about the timeliness of her medication related to when she ate and she had a visitor coming and wanted to be ready and not have to rush to eat before they came. C. Staff interview The registered dietitian (RD) was interviewed on 8/26/21 at 4:15 p.m. The RD said that waiting for special orders depended on what was special ordered. She said some special orders could take as long as 20 minutes. She said they only had one microwave and if a special food item required heating up, it would depend on how many other special orders needing heating were ahead of that order. She said they tried to give residents a variety of different choices/alternatives. She said maybe that was the problem and they may have to cut back on special orders. D. Resident #37 1. Resident status Resident #37, age [AGE], admitted on [DATE]. According to the August 2021 computerized physician orders (CPO), diagnoses included progressive supranuclear ophthalmoplegia, dementia with lewy bodies, specific depressive episodes, mild protein-calorie malnutrition, spastic heiplegia affecting unspecifed side. The 6/30/21 significant change minimum data set (MDS) assessment identified the resident had moderate cognitive impairment with a brief interview for mental status (BIMS) score of 9 out of 15. According to the MDS, Resident #37 required total dependence of two or more persons physical assistance with transfers and extensive assistance of two or more persons physical assistance with bed mobility and toileting. The MDS identified Resident #37 needed extensive assistance of one person's physical assistance with dressing and personal hygiene. The 6/30/21 MDS indicated Resident #37 needed supervision and set up with eating. 2. Record review The August 2021 mobility care plan identified Resident #37 had a self-care deficit and decreased range of motion. According to the care plan, the resident needed limited one person assistance with meals. The August 2021 psychosocial well-being care plan identified Resident #37 benefited from communicable dining. The care plan directed staff to engage Resident #37 in conversation during care. The August 2021 cognition care plan revealed staff should promote dignity when conserving and providing care for Resident #37. According to the care plan, staff should use communication techniques when interacting with her. Recommended techniques included calling by name, identifying self at each contact, speak clearly and avoid distractions. 3. Observations Resident #37 was observed in the dining room on 8/23/21 at 11:55 p.m. -At 12:10 p.m. her plated meal was placed in front of her at the table. -At 12:15 p.m. CNA #10 sat next to her and proceeded to total meal assistance. CNA #10 did not greet the resident before she started to assist her with the meal. -At 12:16 p.m., CNA #10 left the table and collected the meal order from another resident. -At 12:17 p.m. Resident #17 remained alone at the table, staring at her food. -At 12:19 p.m. CNA #10 returned to the dining table of Resident #17. Between 12:19 p.m. and 12:31 p.m., CNA #10 assisted Resident #37 with eating, reaching across the resident's body to place the utensil in her mouth. CNA #10 sat directly parallel to the resident. She did not position herself to face the resident. She did not interact with the resident. She did not attempt to make eye contact with the resident. CNA #10 focused on other staff actions and conversations in the dining room. -At 12:31 p.m., CNA #10 assisted Resident #37 out of the dining room. E. Resident #9 1. Resident status Resident #9, age [AGE], admitted on [DATE]. According to the August 2021 computerized physician orders (CPO), diagnoses included dementia without behavioral disturbances, osteoarthritis, cerebral infarction without deficit, and vitreous degeneration of left eye. According to the 5/24/21 minimum data set (MDS) assessment, the resident had moderate cognitive impairment with a brief interview for mental status (BIMS) score of 8 out of 15. Resident #9 required extensive assistance of one person's physical assistance with bed mobility, toilet use, transfers, and dressing. The MDS revealed Resident #9 required limited assistance of one person's physical assistance with eating. 2. Record review The August 2021 mobility care plan identified Resident #9 had a self-care deficit related to dementia and decreased range of motion. According to the care plan, the resident needed some cueing and reminding to eat. The August 2021 cognition care plan identified Resident #37 required cues and reminders daily. The care plan revealed staff should promote dignity when conserving and providing care for Resident #37. According to the care plan, staff should use communication techniques for optimum interactions. Recommended techniques included calling by name, face resident when making eye contact, speak clearly and avoid distractions. The August 2021 psychosocial well-being care plan identified Resident #37 was at risk for impaired psychosocial well-being. The care plan directed staff to listen to resident concerns. 3. Observation On 8/23/21 at 12:34 p.m. CNA #10 sat next Resident #9 as she ate her meal. The CNA did not greet the resident when she sat next to her. The CNA did not interact with the resident as she sat beside her. The CNA focused on the dining room activity including observing her own finger nails. -At 12:48 p.m. CNA #10 was observed watching the television as she conversed with another resident about the golf game. She did not interact Resident #9. F. Staff interview The social service worker (SSW) was interviewed on 8/26/21 at 11:44 a.m. She said staff should engage residents when they were providing any type of meal assistance. The SSA said the engagement included small conversation and eye contact. She said converserving with residents creates a dignified, comfortable and enjoyable meal experience. She added the simple engagement could combat loneliness and improve mood. The registered dietitian (RD) was interviewed on 8/26/21 at 2:22 p.m. She said the nursing trained the CNAs how to provide meal assistance for the residents but she would provide on the spot education with a CNA if she identified a concern. The RD said staff should always offer compassionate engagement when working with the residents in the dining room. The RD said the engagement promoted a more beneficial eating experience. She said the engagement should include conservation and eye contact. She said she would correct a CNA if she identified if they were not fully focused on the resident. She said the CNA needed to engage and be completely present with the resident they provide meal assistance to, whether it was cueing and supervision to total meal assistance depending on what the resident required. The dining observations above were shared with RD. She commented that staff would not want a family member treated in the same manner as the observed concern, so they should not treat a resident in that manner. The RD said she would follow up with nursing and offer increased training to all staff who provide resident meal assistance. The DON was interviewed on 8/27/21 at approximately 4:10 p.m. She said the RD informed her of the above dining observations and would provide education to CNA #10. VI. Resident #41 A. Resident status Resident #41, age [AGE], was admitted on [DATE]. According to the August 2021 computerized physician orders (CPO), diagnoses included anxiety disorder, other specific depressive episodes, and osteoarthritis. According to the 6/14/21 minimum data set (MDS) assessment, the resident was cognitively intact with a brief interview for mental status (BIMS) score of 15 out of 15. Resident #41 required supervision with set up for most of her activities of daily living ADLs. B. Resident interview Resident #41 was interviewed on 8/23/21 at 03:03 p.m. She said her appearance was important to her and she tried hard to maintain it. She said she has had a lot of clothes come back wrinkled or damaged when they go to the laundry. Resident #41 said some clothes do not come back to her at all. She said it upsets her because the facility did not take responsibility or action and she can not feel good about how she presents herself when she did not have her clothes taken care of. She said her clothes were special to her and often gifts from family. She said she was told by the former social service director that she should not bring in clothes to the facility that were considered good. She said she often has reported lost and damaged clothes but then did not hear back from staff or told that there was nothing that they were going to do about it. She said she has had shirts come back with holes and most recently she had a new pair of blue pants that were bleached and faded brown. Resident #41 said she reported another pair of navy pants missing several months ago but they have not been returned nor has anyone followed up with her. She said the pants were part of an outfit she really liked and was upset that she now only had the matching shirt. She said their lack of respect for her and her personal items, makes her cry and not want to be here at this facility. She said she was very frustrated and has been told not to complain. C. Record review The admissions and laundry policy was reviewed with the SSA #1 on 8/25/21 at 3:17 p.m. According to the laundry policy, last updated 8/6/21, the facility recommended residents to bring in seven outfits. The policy also recommended no special wash items. The policy read the facility would not mend clothing. The policy read the facility was not responsible for lost items but every effort was made to return items to the resident. The policy was signed by the facility's laundry supervisor/public relations coordinator (LS/PR). A missing items spreadsheet was reviewed with the SSA on 8/25/21 at 3:17 p.m. According to the sheet, Resident #41 was missing a blue pair of pants since March 2021. The spreadsheet did not identify an action taken when the pants were first reported missing. The spreadsheet did identify a search for the pants was conducted in May 2021. D. Staff interviews The social service assistant (SSA) was interviewed on 8/25/21 at 3:17 p.m. She said when residents express concerns such as missing laundry the concerns were logged. She said Resident #41 has expressed concerns with laundry and has reported lost and damaged clothing. She said on 3/19/21 Resident #41 reported a blue pair of pants. On 5/5/21 the pants were still reported missing so a closet-to-closet search was initiated. The SSA said on 8/17/21, Resident #41 was missing a pair of blue pajamas and bleached navy blue pants. The SSA said the blue pair of pants was in the social service office. The observation of the pants revealed the pants were faded brown. The SSA said they have had a lot of problems recently with laundry and the concerns would be addressed in the next quality assurance meeting. She said they have had other residents ' items also damaged in laundry. She said the first time the facility was aware of bleached clothing was on 7/29/21. The SSA said it was not the practice of the facility to reimburse residents for lost or damaged clothing. She said residents have to sign a waiver when they admit to the facility, acknowledging the facility was not responsible for items missing or damaged when laundered by the facility. The SSA said the residents should feel they and their items are taken care of and respected. The SSA said items such as clothes could have a sentimental value. She said residents should have an opportunity to take pride in their appearance. She said it was important for the residents to be seen how they want to be seen. She said it was important for a resident's mental health to feel happy is what really matters. She said she felt that a resident would not be treated with dignity if they were told they could not bring in clothes the resident wanted to wear. She said residents should be able to wear clothes that would make them feel good. The SSA said residents should be able to trust that their property was safe at the facility and feel comfortable in how they look. The LS/PR was interviewed on 8/26/21 at 3:40 p.m. She said lost clothing was reported to social services or laundry. She said the staff would conduct a search for the item when reported. If we can not find the item, the resident would be told that the facility would keep an eye out for it as clothes continue to come into the laundry department. The laundry department keeps a list of all the missing clothing. She said the item would not be replaced if not found. The LS/PR said if a resident reported an item damaged in the laundry, the facility identified if the concern was the fault of an employee or equipment, she would provide staff education or repair the equipment. She said it was not the policy of the facility to replace or reimburse items damaged in laundry. She said the residents have been made aware of the policy. The LS/PR said a washing machine vendor came into the facility on 8/24/21 and identified an operation setting failure within the machine causing residents' clothes to bleach. She said the facility was not at fault for the bleached clothing. The LS/PR said the fault was an equipment failure. She said the policy remained in place and the facility will not replace items. She said the nursing home administrator was aware of the policy. The nursing home administrator (NHA) was interviewed on 8/26/21 at 4:17 p.m. The NHA said residents could place personal items of importance in a locked box. She said if the items were found and an owner was not located, the items would be displayed in a cabinet for review. The NHA said if the missing items were clothing, the laundry department would be informed. The found clothing without a known owner would be placed on display during a facility fashion show. The NHA said the residents had so little in what they brought to the facility, the items they have were precious to them, so the facility makes every effort to return the items to them and in good repair. The NHA reviewed the current laundry policy. She said the facility would replace clothing if damaged by laundry. She said equipment failure would be the responsibility of the facility. She said the facility would reimburse missing or damaged items at times. The NHA said she did not want Resident #41 not to feel upset. She said she would follow up with Resident #41. She said she would want the resident to feel supported. Based on observations, interviews and record review, the facility failed to ensure residents received care and services with dignity and respect, in keeping with their individuality and psychosocial needs, for six (#6, #78, #37, #9, #27, #41) of eight out of 44 sample residents. Specifically, the facility failed to: -Treat Resident #78 in a dignified manner during activities of daily living (ADL) care and call light response at night, and during an outdoor family visit; -Ensure Resident #27's ADL assistance needs were provided in a dignified manner, and that call lights were consistently answered in a timely manner; -Ensure concerns about respect and dignity for Resident #6 were thoroughly addressed with follow up staff education; -Ensure staff was considerate to the feelings and disabilities of Resident #6; -Ensure Residents #6, #9 and #37 had a dignified dining experience with staff interaction during meal assistance; and, -Ensure Resident #41 felt she could dress in a dignified manner without clothes lost or damaged by the facility. Findings include: I. Facility policy The Residents' Rights policy, dated 4/5/18, was provided by the director of nursing (DON) on the evening of 8/26/21. The policy provided in pertinent part: -Caring for residents in a manner that promoted and enhanced the quality of life of each resident, ensuring dignity, choice, and self-determination. -Providing services and activities to attain or maintain the highest practicable physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being of each resident. Residents had the right to: -Participate in their own care; -Be informed of all changes in medical condition; -Participate in their own assessment and treatment; -Have private and unrestricted communication with any person of their choice; -Be treated with consideration, respect, and dignity; and -Reasonable accommodation of needs and preferences. II. Resident #78 A. Resident status Resident #78, under age [AGE], was admitted on [DATE] and readmitted on [DATE]. According to the August 2021 computerized physician orders (CPO), diagnoses included quadriplegia and multiple sclerosis. According to the 8/5/21 significant change minimum data set (MDS) assessment, the resident had moderate cognitive impairment with a brief interview for mental status (BIMS) score of nine out of 15. His previous 5/19/21 MDS, before hospitalization, assessed his BIMS at 12 out of 15. -On 8/5/21, his mood status showed he was tired with little energy, and he felt down, depressed and hopeless. He had no behavioral symptoms and no care rejection. He was totally dependent for bed mobility, toilet use, transfers and personal hygiene. He needed extensive assistance for dressing. B. Resident interview Resident #78 was interviewed on 8/23/21 at 11:00 a.m. When discussing staff treatment and dignity/respect, he said some staff were respectful but some were not. He said that at some time between 9:00 and 11:00 p.m. the night before, his call light was on and he and his roommate could not turn it off, then his roommate and a staff person were arguing. (See interview below with Resident #27.) He said then there was a confrontation between CNA #11 and licensed practical nurse (LPN) #3, where LPN #3 was telling CNA #11 that he thought everything should be done his way and it wasn't supposed to be his way. Resident #78 said they were talking in the hallway outside his room, loudly enough for him to hear. He said they were arguing loudly, and it lasted a couple of minutes, then ended abruptly. He said both staff worked on the hall throughout the night and there were no other incidents that he knew of. He said, I didn't like the way it ended, but I'm glad it ended. He said he did not feel it was his responsibility to report it to anyone, but he did not like that they were in front of his room arguing like that. Although he knew the argument was not directed toward him and they were arguing amongst themselves, I didn't like them involving me in their squabbles. He said it did not feel abusive, but it was definitely a dignity issue. He said he buried his head in the covers and tried to keep out of it. He said overall he felt safe in the facility, but it made him feel unsafe when other people are yelling. Think about it, when you're in a wheelchair -- and I don't care who is yelling -- you don't feel safe at all. So I just kind of buried my head and let those guys yell it out. Resident #78 also said there was an incident two or three days before when a family member visited him, and they were outside having a talk. His family member had brought ice cream for him. He said a staff member approached them and told him he could not eat the ice cream his family member had brought for him, and did not explain why. He said the staff person was kind of rude, his family member was upset, and he did not get to eat his ice cream. C. Staff interview/follow-up The social services director (SSD) was interviewed on 8/24/21 at 9
CONCERN (E)

Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed

Investigate Abuse (Tag F0610)

Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents

Based on interviews and record review, the facility failed to have evidence all allegations of abuse were thoroughly and timely investigated and failed to take measures to prevent further potential ab...

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Based on interviews and record review, the facility failed to have evidence all allegations of abuse were thoroughly and timely investigated and failed to take measures to prevent further potential abuse affecting one (#87) out of seven residents investigated for abuse out of 44 sample residents. Specifically, the facility failed to timely and thoroughly investigate an allegation of physical abuse for Resident #87. Findings include: I. Facility policies and procedures The Abuse Prevention, Investigation and Reporting policy, revised March 2017, was provided by the NHA on the 8/23/21. The policy documented in pertinent part, The resident had the right to be free from abuse (including verbal, mental, sexual and physical) neglect misappropriations of property and exploitation Management will take specific steps to reduce the potential for abuse to occur at (named facility) including, but not limited to education, monitoring and investigating thoroughly if abuse, misappropriation, neglect, or exploitation is suspected All incidents will be scrutinized as to the potential of abuse. If abuse is alleged or suspected, it will be referred to the director of social services for immediate preliminary investigation. II Resident #87 Resident #87 revealed during an interview on 8/23/21 at 9:41 a.m. She said registered nurse (RN) #2 was rough and she tossed her in bed like a rag doll. The resident said she had reported this to another nurse the following day (RN #5). She said RN #2 was still providing care to her (Cross-reference F600). -Record review revealed there was no documentation found in the clinical record that allegation of physical abuse that was reported by the resident to registered nurse (RN) #5 on 8/12/21 perpetrated by RN #2.The facility was aware of the allegation of abuse on 8/12/21 which the resident alleged occurred on 8/11/21 at night. An investigation summary, dated 8/12/21 was provided by the facility on 8/24/21. The summary documented the following: The investigation report summary documented in pertinent part that RN #5 reported to the QANM a concern by Resident #87. The QANM asked the resident what happened and the resident told her that the night before (8/11/21), RN #2 was giving here medications and she asked RN #2 if she would assist her. The resident said the RN did not have any patience. The QANM asked the resident if she had been injured or was afraid of RN #2. The resident said she was not afraid and to keep her away from me, I do not have to put up with that kind of behavior. She (RN #2) moved too fast and does not give you time to adjust or get ready. The QANM asked the resident about her comment she made about being a puppet doll. The resident said she felt that she received as much compassion as a puppet doll; hurried and tossed away. The QANM asked the resident if she felt like she was tossed and the resident said RN #2 was hurried and did not give her time to adjust to the movement and that she felt rushed. -The facility failed to initiate a thorough investigation into the allegation of abuse when they first became aware of it (8/12/21). There were no additional residents or staff interviewed and it had not been reported to the physician, doctor, police or Ombudsman. The social service director (SSD) and quality assurance nurse manager (QANM) were interviewed on 8/24/21 at 11:27 a.m. The SSD said she and the QANM were the abuse coordinators in the facility. The QANM said that the allegation by Resident #87 was not substantiated and was a non-reportable event and all they had was a one page investigation summary. B. Facility follow-up The QANM was interviewed a third time on 8/26/21 at 6:08 p.m. She said that she had re-interviewed Resident #87 on 8/24/21 and based on what the resident reported about being thrown into bed. She said she initiated another investigation and then reported the incident to the State Agency as physical abuse on 8/24/21 (cross-reference F609). She said the investigation was ongoing at this time. -The facility failed to timely and thoroughly investigate allegations of abuse.
CONCERN (E)

Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed

Deficiency F0761 (Tag F0761)

Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents

**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observations, record review and interviews, the facility failed to ensure that all drugs and biologicals were properly ...

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**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observations, record review and interviews, the facility failed to ensure that all drugs and biologicals were properly stored in one of two medication rooms and three of six medication carts. Specifically, the facility failed to ensure: -Controlled medications were double locked to ensure safe storage; -Medication refrigerators were maintained at the proper temperature for drug storage; -Multi-dose medications were labeled with the date of opening; -Medications were removed from use upon the manufacturer expiration date; and, -Insulin pens were dated when opened in order to identify when the medications should be removed from service. Findings include: I. Facility policy and procedures A Cleaning Medication Storage Areas policy, reviewed 12/1/2020, was provided by the director of nursing on 8/26/21 at 1:38 p.m. The policy documented in part, Medication storage areas at each facility are kept neat and clean to prevent contamination of medications and treatment supplies. -Keep refrigerators clean and check for discontinued, outdated medications. Check to be sure the thermometer is in place and functioning (temperature ranges 34-38 degrees F). Maintain a daily temperature log if required by state regulations. -Licensed staff should keep carts clean and organized and check for discontinued, outdated medications. Remove and discard according to pharmacy procedures. II. Professional reference According to Humalog Kwikpen (3/21) [NAME] Lilly and Company, retrieved 8/31/21 from, Humalog.com, Humalog Kwikpen insulin, Once opened, Humalog vial, prefilled pens, and cartridges should be thrown away after 28 days. According to the Novolog FlexPen package insert, retrieved 8/31/21 from, https://www.novo-pi.com/novolog.pdf, A single patient use Novolog FlexPen of 3 (milliliter) ml which has been opened and in use is good for 28 days. According to the American Diabetes Association, retrieved 8/31/21 from, https://care.diabetesjournals.org, Lantus should be discarded 28 days after first use, regardless of refrigeration. According to PDR (Prescribers ' Digital Reference), retrieved 9/1/21 from, https://pdr.net/drug-summary/Lorazepam-Intensol, For Lorazepam liquid,Store refrigerated at 36 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit. III. Observations and interviews A. Medication refrigerator On 8/26/21 at 10:09 a.m. the medication refrigerator was inspected with registered nurse (RN) #4 present in the medication room of the skilled rehabilitation unit. The medication room door was unlocked by RN #4 and upon entry to the medication room the medication refrigerator did not have a lock on it. Inside the refrigerator on the second shelf were three unsecured boxes of stock Lorazepam liquid (a class IV controlled substance, antianxiety medication). One of the three boxes was observed to be saturated with moisture from the back of the refrigerator. The thermometer inside the refrigerator registered 48 degrees when the door was first opened. The director of nursing (DON) was notified by another nurse at the asking of RN #4; she arrived a short time later and observed the same finding. A temperature log located on the counter above the refrigerator, indicated that temperatures should be taken daily and that the temperature should be maintained between 36-40 degrees for the refrigerator and zero degrees for the freezer. The form documented to notify the maintenance department if any temperature was out of range. There were two columns of temperatures. One was marked Location #1 and the other one was marked Location #2. Medication refrigerator (Location #1) temperature logs for the month of August 2021 revealed 24 out of 25 temperatures were above the high range of 40 degrees. The temperatures were: -8/1, 50 degrees -8/2, 48 degrees -8/3, 48 degrees -8/4, 48 degrees -8/5, 49 degrees -8/6, 48 degrees -8/7, 50 degrees -8/8, 50 degrees -8/9, 46 degrees -8/10, 48 degrees -8/11, 48 degrees -8/12, 48 degrees -8/13, 48 degrees -8/14, 49 degrees -8/15, 49 degrees -8/16, 48 degrees -8/17, 46 degrees -8/18, no temperature recorded -8/19, 49 degrees -8/20, 50 degrees -8/21, 49 degrees -8/22, 49 degrees -8/23, 46 degrees -8/24, 50 degrees -8/25, 46 degrees Additional items found in the medication refrigerator were: -12 Promethazine suppositories with an expiration date of June 2021; -One opened, unlabeled and undated vial of Lantus insulin. The box only had a last name written on it with a black sharpie pen. RN #4 was interviewed following the observation above. She said that the Lorazepam was a controlled medication and had to be under a double lock due to potential diversion. She said she had not noticed that the medication refrigerator temperature was running high and she had not noticed the leakage of water onto the one box of Lorazepam. She said the insulin should be dated when opened and that it was only good for 28 days. She said that the insulin may have been removed from the emergency kit for a resident. The environmental services director (ESD) was notified following the above observation and was interviewed at 10:31 a.m. He said he was not aware that the refrigerator was not working properly or that the temperatures were out of range. He then looked at the internal temperature dial and turned it up to a cooler setting. He said he would check back later to see if it helped. B. Medication carts On 8/26/21 at 10:38 a.m. the rehabilitation east cart was inspected with RN #4. There were several loose, unidentifiable pills with debris inside the top drawer of the cart. In addition, there was one opened bottle of Iron tablets with an expiration date of June 2021. The RN said that all of the nurses were responsible for cleaning out the carts and checking for expired medications. On 8/26/21 at 11:11 a.m. the A-hall medication cart was inspected with licensed practical nurse (LPN) #1. The following medications were found: -Three individual blister packs of Omeprazole with no expiration date found; -One opened bottle of Geri-dryl 25mg (milligram) expired April 2020; -One opened bottle of Thera tab expired May 2021; -One opened bottle of Fexofenadine 180mg expired May 2021; -Saline nasal spray, opened with no expiration date found on the bottle and in use for one resident; -One opened bottle of Gentamicin eye drops undated; -Two open bottles of Rocklatan Lantastrope 0.02%-0.005% eye drops expired June 2021; -One opened bottle of Mintox antacid liquid expired March 2021; -One opened bottle of Loratadine 10mg expired July 2021; -One opened bottle of ear wax removal drops expired February 2021; -Two opened tubes of Voltaren 1% pain gel; one expired June 2020 and the second expired July 2021 and in use for one resident; -One opened box of Levalbuterol 1.25mg for nebulizer contained six packets with one opened, all expired March 2021; -One opened vial of Lantus insulin, undated; -One opened Humalog insulin pen, undated; -One opened Novolog insulin pen, undated; -One opened Basaglar insulin pen, undated; -One opened Lispro insulin pen, undated. In addition to the expired and undated medications above, the medication cart had several loose, unidentifiable pills and debris in the bottom of the top drawer and the second drawer. The third drawer had a red, sticky substance that had spilled and had not been cleaned up. LPN #1 was immediately interviewed following the inspection above. She said she was responsible for ensuring her medication cart was clean and inspected for any expired medications. She said that insulin should be dated once opened and was good for 28 days only. She said all medications should be labeled with the open date when opened or the seal was broken. She said that all nurses were responsible for checking the cart. She said she would immediately remove all of the items found and discard them properly. On 8/26/21 at 12:23 p.m. the B-hall medication cart was inspected with LPN #2. The following items were found: -One opened bottle of Vitamin E 400IU (international units) expired June 2021; -One opened bottle of ear wax drops expired June 2021; -One opened bottle of stool softener 100mg expired July 2021. LPN #2 was interviewed after the findings above. She said medications that were expired had to be removed from use. She said she would take the items found and discard them right away. IV. Administrative interview The DON was interviewed on 8/26/21 at 12:23 p.m. She was informed of the findings above. She said that the pharmacy consultant was responsible for coming in monthly and checking all med storage areas for expired medication. She said that process was not occurring when everything was locked down during extensive COVID-19 precautions. She said she had tried to get the nurses to stay on top of that and should be cleaning the carts. She said there was not a set person or shift responsible or process in place for checking/cleaning carts. She said that all opened medications should have a date on them when they are opened because some of them were only good for a certain period of time. She said that all insulin should be dated when opened and that insulins were good for 28 days once opened.
CONCERN (E)

Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed

Deficiency F0804 (Tag F0804)

Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents

Based on interviews, observations and record review, the facility failed to consistently serve food that was palatable and attractive at the appropriate temperatures in two of two kitchens. Specifical...

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Based on interviews, observations and record review, the facility failed to consistently serve food that was palatable and attractive at the appropriate temperatures in two of two kitchens. Specifically, the facility failed to ensure resident food was palatable in taste, texture, appearance, and safe temperature. Findings include: I. Facility policy and procedures A Food Holding Temps policy, effective September 2018, was provided by the registered dietitian (RD) on 8/26/21 at 11:58 p.m. The policy read in pertinent part, Hot food is to be served 135 degrees Fahrenheit or above, cold food is to be served at 41 degrees Fahrenheit or colder. -All food shall be cooked to the appropriate temperature. -When food is distributed to satellite kitchens food temps will be taken and recorded. Hold hot food in the steam table and cold food in the fridge or on ice. -If hot food does not reach minimal temperature for hot food and maximum temp for cold, then food should be brought back to the main kitchen until it does. Cold food could be placed in the freezer to help cool faster as well. II. Resident interviews All residents were identified by facility and assessment as interviewable. Resident #55 was interviewed on 8/22/21 at 6:37 p.m. She said the facility had fired their kitchen manager some time ago and the guys in the kitchen just continued on without him. She said the food wasn't that great, but they had hired a new kitchen manager a week or so ago. She said, Now we just need someone who knows how to make soup. Resident #73 was interviewed on 8/22/21 at 6:54 p.m. She said the food was poor in overall taste and temperature. She said the quality of the food had declined over the last few months. She said there was not enough staff in the kitchen and she felt that it contributed to the poor quality of the meals. She said she had heard other residents express food concerns during the resident meetings. She said the dinner meal on 8/22/21 was a casserole dish but it only contained cooked broccoli and cheese with little flavor. Resident #85 was interviewed on 8/22/21 at 7:23 p.m. She said she did not like the food at the facility. She said that she ordered a roast beef sandwich one day and it was supposed to be hot and it was cold and she did not receive any condiments to put on it. She said her breakfast cereal was often served cold and had to have it heated up. She said the food was repetitive and there was very little variety. Resident #68 was interviewed on 8/22/21 at 7:45 p.m. He said he did not like the type of food they made at the facility. I'm just a meat and potatoes guy. He said the types of snacks he liked were not always available. He said he had been in the habit of eating an apple before going to bed, but he had trouble getting them. He said sometimes meals were served a little cool when they were supposed to be hot. -Observations revealed fresh fruit was available in the main dining room, however it was stored on a shelf out of sight and out of reach for residents who used wheelchairs. Whole apples, which Resident #68 preferred, were not observed being served on snack carts. Record review revealed the resident had mentioned in his care conference on 8/5/21 that apples were not available to him before bed as he preferred. Specifically, Son and resident request fruit, especially an apple, in the evening, as was resident's practice at home, and dietary notes fruit is available. However, this was not added to the resident's care plan as a preference, or implemented, per resident interview. Resident #140 was interviewed on 8/22/21 at 8:11 p.m. She said that food was delivered cold and she had to send it back all the time and it made her angry. She said the food tasted decent as long as it was hot. She said she was served asparagus one day and it was stone cold. Resident #22 was interviewed on 8/23/21 at 9:28 a.m. She said the food was often not warm and usually did not taste good. Resident #41 was interviewed on 8/23/21 at 9:35 a.m. She said she and other residents have complained about the food to the resident council. She said the food was poor in taste and presentation. She said the spaghetti was just noodles with tomato paste served with a hot dog bun instead of garlic bread. She said the pie was usually under cooked. She said she no longer ordered hamburgers because they were often raw inside. She said one time she ordered a grilled cheese and the cheese slice separating paper was grilled inside of it. She said she showed it to the cook who said it was done by mistake. She said she felt that the kitchen staff was either too rushed or did not care what they served to the residents. She said she had suggested to management to observe what the residents were served during their meals and ask them if it tasted appetizing. Resident #87 was interviewed on 8/23/21 at 9:41 a.m. She said that the food was gross, the vegetables were bland with no flavor. She said that she sometimes looked at the food and said to herself, I don't know if I want to eat that! She said that the chicken did not have a good flavor so she no longer ate it. Resident #27 was interviewed on 8/23/21 at 10:02 a.m. He said he graded the food a D and said, I'm a picky eater. Sometimes it's cold. Sometimes it tastes like crap. Last night I got raviolis with cream corn. For the most part the flavor isn't good. The pasta sauce isn't made right. You can't screw up breakfast but everything after that can go really South really fast. Resident #78 was interviewed on 8/23/21 at 11:25 a.m. He said he thought he had had some weight loss from not eating right, and the food was not to his taste. They did not always serve his favorite foods. He said they offered protein supplements but sometimes he did not drink them. He said he loved lasagna and Italian food, and would love to have more Snickers bars. Resident #43 was interviewed on 8/23/21 at 12:13 p.m. He said that the meats here did not taste good because they put too many spices on them. Resident #142 was interviewed on 8/23/21 12:27 p.m. She said her biggest complaint about food here was that it was always served cold and she had to send it back all the time to get reheated. Resident #16 was interviewed on 8/23/21 at 12:44 p.m. He and his wife (Resident #59) were having lunch in their room. He said the food did not look good, today everything is brown. They had Swiss burgers with chocolate eclairs. There were no garnishes, vegetables or salads. Resident #59 was not eating. When asked about her favorite food she said she liked cheese. Resident #16 said the food was adequate, they just need to brush up on a few things. He said sometimes the food was served cold, and his wife was not eating well. The following resident interviews were obtained during the resident council group meeting held on 8/24/21 at 1:30 p.m.: -Resident # 22 said the food in the facility could be very, very poor. She said, Anyone who can't cook vegetables or even macaroni shouldn't be cooking. She said the facility served too much chicken and ham. She said there was not enough chicken in the chow mein. She said the food was cold because the plates were not warmed. She said the residents were not given condiments like sweet and sour sauce with their egg rolls or cocktail sauce for shrimp. She said she once asked for cocktail sauce or tartar sauce and received thousand island dressing instead. -Resident #81 said he bought a lot of his food. He said the soups were poor: thin and were not flavorful because they did not cook long enough. He said the chicken fried steak was rubber. He said the facility needed an experienced cook. -Resident #55 said the facility needed a taste tester. She said her meatloaf was ruined by the taste and texture of her stuffed peppers, which tasted like sawdust. She said the soups were watery. She said there were mushrooms and peas in everything and they were served leftover vegetables from the day prior. She said the toast was always dry because it was not buttered when made; it was served cold with small pats of butter in individual containers. She said the meatballs were too large to eat. She said she would like for a food committee to be formed if the appropriate dietary staff attended. Resident #54 was interviewed on 8/24/21 at 5:35 p.m. She said there was a lot of food she did not care for served at the facility and there were lumps in the mashed potatoes at lunch that she did not like. Resident #9 was interviewed on 8/25/21 at 12:40 p.m. She was served a plate of liver and onions for the 8/25/21 noon meal. She said the liver was tough when it should have been tender. Resident #140 was interviewed a second time on 8/25/21 at 5:40 p.m. She said that her hamburger tonight was ice cold: the bun is frozen solid! She said she did not know why she could never get any warm food. She said they really needed help in the kitchen. III. Observations On 8/24/21 at 5:51 p.m. the following food items the temperature was obtained by dietary aide (DA) #1 after meal service was completed on the rehabilitation wing: -Potato salad, 65 Fahrenheit (F). It was not a bed of ice and had been sitting on the side prep table next to the steam table since 5:24 p.m. -Tapioca pudding, 75.3 F. The pudding was sitting on a large sheet pan on top of the hot box (used to transport hot foods to the satellite kitchen). -Green bean casserole, 135 F (acceptable holding temperature). DA #1 said that the food items should be at room temperature, and that the casserole should be 180 degrees. On 8/25/21 at 5:00 p.m. food temperatures were taken on the steam table by DA #1 prior to meal service. The temperatures were as follows: -Chicken enchiladas, 117.3 F -Cooked hamburger patties, 103 F -Spanish rice, 119.3 F -Refried beans, 108.6 F The rice and beans were not on the steam table, but on the side of the steam table on the prep table. -All the temperatures were not within acceptable holding range. IV. Test tray A test tray was completed on 8/25/21 at 12:56 p.m. from the main kitchen. The test tray consisted of turkey and dumplings, harvest beets, green peas, liver and onions and pureed chicken and dumplings. The temperature of the food was palatable when temperatures were obtained. -The turkey casserole was gummy/pasty with a slight sweet flavor to it. -The sauce over the harvest beets had a strange tasting gelatin-like consistency, cold and lacked flavor. -The green peas had a firm texture when chewing one could taste the skin and they were slightly bland. -The pureed turkey casserole had a smooth texture and was flavorful. -The liver was slightly tough and a little cool, otherwise, flavorful. V.Staff interview The RD was interviewed on 8/26/21 at 3:05 p.m. She was informed of the residents ' concerns regarding the food. She said the facility had lost their dietary manager a week ago and they were short staffed in the kitchen. She said there were other staff from other departments that were helping out. She said the hot food temperatures should be held at 135 degrees and cold food temperatures should be 41 degrees or below. She said that she had an in-service with the dietary staff this past weekend on 8/22/21 and instructed them when delivering room trays they should be leaving the plates on the heating pallets so the food stayed hot and palatable. She said that condiments were readily available in both the rehab dining area and the main dining room and should be offered to residents. She said dietary staff had been trained on food safety and food service upon hire before they even stepped into the kitchen. She said that cold foods should be kept refrigerated or on an ice bed to maintain temperature. She said that the hot foods (rice and beans above) should have been on the steam table.
CONCERN (F)

Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed

Food Safety (Tag F0812)

Could have caused harm · This affected most or all residents

Based on observations, record review and staff interviews, the facility failed to ensure food was prepared, distributed, and served under sanitary conditions in two out of two kitchen service areas. S...

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Based on observations, record review and staff interviews, the facility failed to ensure food was prepared, distributed, and served under sanitary conditions in two out of two kitchen service areas. Specifically, the facility failed to ensure: -Proper hand hygiene and gloving was occurring; -Food was prepared and served in a sanitary manner; and, -Proper personal protective equipment (PPE) was worn in a sanitary manner when preparing food in the kitchen. Findings include: I. Professional reference The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (2019) The Colorado Retail Food Establishment Rules and Regulations, retrieved on 9/2/21 from: https://drive.google.com/file/d/18-uo0wlxj9xvOoT6Ai4x6ZMYIiuu2v1G/view on 8/16/21. It read in pertinent part; -Ready-to-eat is considered a food without further washing, cooking, or additional preparation and that is reasonably expected to be consumed in that form. -Employees prevent bare hand contact with ready-to-eat food by properly using suitable utensils such as deli tissue, spatulas, tongs, single-use gloves, or dispensing equipment. -Single-use gloves shall be used for only one task, such as working with ready-to-eat food, or with raw animal food. Single-use gloves shall be used for no other purpose, and discarded when damaged, when interruptions occur in the operation, or when the task is completed. II. Facility policy and procedures A Use of Plastic Gloves policy, revised 5/16, was provided by the registered dietician (RD) on 8/26/21 at 11:58 a.m. documented in part, Plastic gloves will be worn when handling food directly with hands to ensure that bacteria are not transferred from the food handler's hands to the food product being served. -If used, single use gloves shall be used for only one task (such as working with ready to eat food or with raw animal food), used for no other purpose, and discarded when damaged or soiled, or when interruptions occur in the operation. -Hands are to be washed when entering the kitchen and before putting on plastic gloves. -Plastic gloves are to be worn whenever handling the food directly with hands when: handling ready-to-eat foods, working with raw meat, poultry, raw eggs, fish and shellfish, removing frozen foods from boxes and anytime food you touch food directly. -Remember that gloves are just like hands. They get soiled. Anytime a contaminated surface is touched, the gloves must be changed. -Wash hands after removing gloves. III. Observations A. Main kitchen On 8/22/21 at 6:10 p.m. an initial tour was completed in the main kitchen. Upon entry to the kitchen there was a staff person serving herself a plate of food from the tray line. She had her mask below her chin and did not have any gloves on. It was not known if she had washed her hands prior to handling the serving utensils. She said that supper was over and she was going on her break. She said she did not know where the evening cook was. At 6:20 p.m. cook #1 entered the kitchen and said she was on a break. She said that all the residents had been served their supper. She then proceeded to gather dirty cooking dishes from the prep area and took them to the dishwashing area. At 6:28 p.m. a dietary aide entered the kitchen with a meal ticket and said that a resident had not got her food. The cook then prepared a room tray from the food on the steam table. She did not wash her hands prior to serving the resident's plate. On 8/25/21 beginning at 10:55 a.m. lunch meal prep was observed in the main kitchen. [NAME] #2 was moving about the kitchen making the final preparations for the lunch meal. She moved from one task to the next. She was not wearing any gloves at the time. At 10:57 a.m. she removed a medium sized kitchen pan from the steamer by grabbing the handle with her bare hand. The pan contained cooked peas. She then uncovered the peas, salted them and placed them on the steam table for service. She then went to the stove and stirred the large cooking pan of turkey and dumplings and then moved to the stove top grill and flipped over several pieces of liver with a large metal spatula. She then went to a green bucket containing soapy water near the back prep area and removed a rag from inside it and wiped down the top front of the stove. She said the green bucket contained cleaner that came from the wall dispenser in the back dishwashing area. She said they used the product to wipe down surfaces. Next she took a small, graduated plastic pitcher from the clean dish area, got two clean medium kitchen pans, dipped the plastic container into the pot of turkey dumplings and scooped up a couple of portions into the first pan. She then covered the pan and placed it into the hot box that went to the rehab unit kitchen. She then scooped up two more portions from the large cooking pan into the smaller kitchen pan and when she did this, the right side of her hand and right wrist touched the dumplings. She was not wearing any gloves and at this time had not washed her hands at the wash sink. She then placed this portion of the dumplings into the Robo Coupe (blender) and prepared the puree dumplings. She then placed the puree dumplings on the steam table. She took theRobo Coupe to the dishwashing area and then went to the three compartment sink, turned on the water and quickly rinsed her hands under the water without using soap for four seconds, turned off the faucet with her bare hand then dried her hands. Next, she went to the steamer oven and removed a large pan of cooked beets. She placed the beets on the prep table and then mixed in a spice infused beet juice into the beets. She then covered the beets and placed them on the steam table. She then went and opened the drawer where the scoops and other serving utensils were and placed them on the steam table for serving. At 11:10 a.m. cook #1 prepared to take the food temperatures on the steam table. She did not wash her hands or don clean gloves before starting. After cleaning the food thermometer she touched her apron with her right hand, went to the steam table and began taking the temperature of each of the food items. She cleaned the thermometer in-between food items. After temping the puree dumplings, she decided they needed to be put back into the steamer (they temped at 155 degrees). After placing the puree into the steamer oven, she came back to the steam table area, she touched the front of her mask and did not sanitize. Next, she took a white rag from on top of the prep table area and wiped down the front of the white cutting board area of the steam table. She then began to sort the paper meal tickets into different piles. At 11:30 a.m. cook #2 went to the wash sink, turned on both the hot and cold faucets, wets her hands gets soap from the dispenser and rubbed her hands under the running water for 10 seconds, turned the faucet off with her bare hands and then dried her hands with a paper towel and donned a clean pair of gloves. She then went to the steam table to begin meal service room trays. She stopped serving at the tray line at 11:38 a.m., went and got a clean plastic pitcher and a whisk and then opened the standing refrigerator and took out a container of chicken broth stock to mix. She placed the chicken stock into the pitcher, took the pitcher to the sink in the dish area, turned on the cold water and added water to the pitcher, mixed it up and then placed it into the microwave to heat. She then doffed her gloves and donned clean ones without washing her hands. Next, cook #1 went to the standing refrigerator, opened it and removed a plate of pre-made pancakes for a resident special order request. She then took the pancakes to the microwave to heat. At 11:40 a.m. cook #3 was preparing special orders at the prep table. She was preparing a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. She removed two slices of bread from the bread package with her gloved hands, placed them on a cutting board and then made the sandwich. She then held the sandwich, cut it in half, and wrapped it with plastic wrap. Next she took two cans of chicken soup, opened them and placed them into two clean soup bowls, placed each one in the microwave and heated them. After they were done, she returned to the prep table, wearing the same gloves. She then went to the standing refrigerator and removed a couple of slices of cheese, went back to the prep area, placed the cheese down on the cutting board, removed two pieces of bread from the package and placed the cheese inside the bread, buttered the outside of the bread and placed it on the grill. She then went to the standing refrigerator, opened it and removed a frozen hamburger patty with the same gloved hands and placed it on the grill to cook. She then doffed the gloves and donned a pair of clean gloves without washing her hands in-between. Next, cook #3 went to the standing freezer and removed a package of sweet potato fries, opened the package and poured them into the fryer. She then put the package down, went to the stove, removed the grilled cheese sandwich, plated and covered it and took it to the steam table. [NAME] #3 continued to make additional grilled cheese and placed them on the grill to cook. She then went to the outside walk-in freezer to get a package of onion rings. She came back into the kitchen, doffed her gloves and went to the wash sink. She turned on both faucets, took some soap in her hand and rubbed her hands together quickly under the running water for five seconds, turned off the water with her bare hand and then dried her hands and donned a new pair of gloves. At 12:05 p.m. cook #4 entered the kitchen and went to the wash sink to wash his hands. He had a mask on which was not secured over his nose and kept slipping down. He repetitively readjusted his mask to cover his nose and did not sanitize his hands or attempt to change his mask. He began to assist in the kitchen by checking the standing refrigerators and checking temperatures. At 12:05 p.m. cook #1 came out of the pantry area with gloved hands. She then went to the wash sink, turned on the two faucets, placed soap on her gloved hand and rubbed her two gloved hands together quickly for five seconds, turned off the faucet handles and then dried her gloved hands. Next she went to the back prep table and began cutting up tomatoes and placing them in a kitchen pan. She then went to the standing refrigerator where cook #4 had the door open and was labeling some food items. She leaned her left gloved hand on the edge of the opened door and then placed her right gloved hand on her hip as she was talking to cook #4. Next, cook #1 returned to the prep table and began cutting up celery. [NAME] #3 then came to the back prep table and placed a plate on the table that contained fresh fruit and vegetables. [NAME] #3 then went into the refrigerator and removed cheese with her gloved hands and began placing cheese slices on the plate with the fruit and vegetables. She said to cook #1 that she had never made a plate like that before but that a resident had asked for it. At 12:10 p.m. cook #1 came from the back prep area to the front prep area, opened the lid to the cold box with her same gloved hands and removed four slices of lunch meat (turkey), went back to the back prep table and arranged the lunch meat on the vegetable, fruit and cheese plate. She then covered it and took it to the front service area. She returned to cutting up tomato slices after she had done several different tasks without changing gloves or washing hands. At 12:18 p.m. cook #2 left the tray line and then went to the back prep area, took some leftover spaghetti and meatballs and began to puree it. She then plated the puree spaghetti and placed it on the steam table tray line to be served out. She then began to plate more food for room trays. She did not change gloves or wash hands. At 12:20 p.m. cook #1 picked up a binder to look at the meal prep for the evening meal. She then set it down, went to the three compartment sink and took a package of defrosted chicken breasts that had been under running water and with the same gloves that she had on previously. She cut the package open with a knife, set the package on the back prep table next to the same cutting board she used for cutting the tomatoes. She got a large cooking pot from the clean dish area and set it on the table. She then took the same knife she was cutting vegetables with, ran it under water for a few seconds then she removed the chicken breasts from the package, placed them on the cutting board that she had cut the tomatoes on and began to cut up the chicken and placed it in the pot. At 12:34 p.m., after cutting up the chicken and placing it to cook on the stove she doffed her gloves without washing her hands in-between. At 12:36 p.m. cook #2 left the serving line, went outside the kitchen to the dining room area, picked up a clipboard, turned the top page over to look at something and then came back into the kitchen, set the clipboard down and then went to the steam table and continued to serve food without changing gloves or washing hands. B. Rehabilitation kitchen On 8/24/21 at 5:24 p.m. observations were made in the rehabilitation satellite kitchen. Dietary aide (DA) #1 was in the kitchen, plating food for room trays. The dinner meal menu consisted of pizza, green bean casserole with tapioca pudding for dessert. The alternate was a turkey sandwich with cranberry mayonnaise and potato salad. The DA was not wearing any gloves at the time and was observed plating a turkey sandwich with his bare hand. There were three other plates already plated. He then covered all four room trays with a plate cover and exited the kitchenette to deliver the trays. After passing out two of the four trays, he went back into the kitchenette to get a glass of ice tea for one of the residents. As he walked toward the tray cart he touched his mask to pull it up to cover his nose. He then delivered the last tray to a resident and opened a can of soda for her with his ungloved hand. He did not sanitize his hands as he delivered each of the four trays or after touching his mask. Next, he returned to the kitchenette to prepare the remaining four room trays. He did not wash his hands first or don gloves. He did not touch any other food items and used serving tongs for the sandwiches and pizza. At 5:51 p.m., after completing the meal service, DA #1 was asked to take temperatures of the following food items: -Green bean casserole - 135 Fahrenheit (F). He said it should be at 180 F. -Potato salad - 65 F -Tapioca pudding - 75.3 F He said that the food should be at room temperature around 70 F. -The potato salad and tapioca pudding were not at the appropriate temperature for holding. On 8/25/21 at 5:00 p.m. meal service was observed in the rehabilitation kitchenette. Food temperatures were taken on the steam table by DA #1 prior to meal service. The temperatures were as follows: -Chicken enchiladas, 117.3 F -Cooked hamburger patties, 103 F -Spanish rice, 119.3 F -Refried beans, 108.6 F The rice and beans were not on the steam table, but on the side of the steam table on the prep table. -All the temperatures were not within acceptable holding range. At 5:05 p.m. DA #1 already had two room trays served and he said he had taken the food temperatures already. He is wearing one glove on his right hand only. He continued to plate two more room trays. When plating one of the room trays he took a hamburger bun out of the package with his gloved right hand, placed it on the plate, took a hamburger patty with the tongs and placed it on the bottom bun then placed the top bun on the burger with his gloved hand. He then took lettuce and tomato and with both the gloved and ungloved hand arranged the garnish on the plate. He served up three more plates for a total of five trays, doffed the one glove on the right hand, did not wash his hands then donned a clean pair of gloves and exited the kitchen to deliver the trays. He removed the lid off of one of the room trays he was about to deliver then said he forgot the salad and then walked back to the kitchenette with the plate of food uncovered, opened the kitchen door, reached in where the salad was and placed a serving of salad on the plate and then went and delivered it to the resident. He then returned to the kitchen because he forgot the silverware for three residents. Next, he returned to the kitchen, wearing the same gloves and began looking through the paper meal tickets to continue serving. He said he forgot to serve one of the residents on the east hallway and saw that the tray was still on the cart. He took the tray to the resident, came back to the kitchen, doffed his gloves and went to the wash sink, turned on both faucets and rinsed his hands off quickly for four seconds with plain water. He then turned the handles off with his bare hand and then dried his hands with a paper towel and donned a new pair of gloves. He then went back to the steam table and prepared a hamburger, then went out of the kitchen to get a couple of packets of ketchup. He did not change gloves or wash his hands. At 5:28 p.m. he left the kitchen to deliver the remaining trays to the west hallway. IV. Staff interviews DA #1 was interviewed on 8/24/21 at 5:54 p.m. He said that he had been working at the facility for about three weeks. He said that he had received training and that he had previous food service experience. He said that he always worked alone in the rehab kitchen, serving food and delivering it and running all the time. He said it was not easy to do for one person. The RD was interviewed on 8/26/21 at 3:00 p.m. She was informed of the observations above and said the facility had been short staffed in the dietary department and had recently lost their dietary manager so there was little direction and oversight occurring. She said that kitchen staff should be washing hands and changing gloves in between different meal prepping tasks and that instructions on how to wash hands properly was posted above the sink area. She said staff should not be washing gloves and reusing them. She said that the last in-service provided to dietary staff by the dietary manager that she could find was on 6/18/21. She did not think that kitchen sanitation had been addressed in the training. She said that DA #1 should not have been working in the rehab kitchen because he had been reassigned to the main kitchen only. She said there had been some issues with his performance. She said that it was not unusual for dietary staff to go into the kitchen and help themselves to any leftover food as long as all of the residents had been served. She said it was better than having any food waste. She said that all new hires in the dietary department received training and had to have their serve training cards completed before they stepped into the kitchen. She said it was a course offered through the health department.
Understanding Severity Codes (click to expand)
Life-Threatening (Immediate Jeopardy)
J - Isolated K - Pattern L - Widespread
Actual Harm
G - Isolated H - Pattern I - Widespread
Potential for Harm
D - Isolated E - Pattern F - Widespread
No Harm (Minor)
A - Isolated B - Pattern C - Widespread

Questions to Ask on Your Visit

  • "What safeguards are in place to prevent abuse and neglect?"
  • "Can I speak with families of current residents?"
  • "What's your RN coverage like on weekends and overnight?"

Our Honest Assessment

Strengths
  • • Licensed and certified facility. Meets minimum state requirements.
Concerns
  • • Multiple safety concerns identified: Federal abuse finding, 4 harm violation(s), $46,982 in fines. Review inspection reports carefully.
  • • 33 deficiencies on record, including 4 serious (caused harm) violations. Ask about corrective actions taken.
  • • $46,982 in fines. Higher than 94% of Colorado facilities, suggesting repeated compliance issues.
  • • Grade F (10/100). Below average facility with significant concerns.
Bottom line: This facility has a substantiated abuse finding. Extreme caution advised. Explore alternatives.

About This Facility

What is Larchwood Inns's CMS Rating?

CMS assigns LARCHWOOD INNS an overall rating of 2 out of 5 stars, which is considered below average nationally. Within Colorado, this rating places the facility higher than 0% of the state's 100 nursing homes. A rating at this level reflects concerns identified through health inspections, staffing assessments, or quality measures that families should carefully consider.

How is Larchwood Inns Staffed?

CMS rates LARCHWOOD INNS's staffing level at 4 out of 5 stars, which is above average compared to other nursing homes. Staff turnover is 48%, compared to the Colorado average of 46%.

What Have Inspectors Found at Larchwood Inns?

State health inspectors documented 33 deficiencies at LARCHWOOD INNS during 2021 to 2025. These included: 4 that caused actual resident harm, 28 with potential for harm, and 1 minor or isolated issues. Deficiencies causing actual harm indicate documented cases where residents experienced negative health consequences.

Who Owns and Operates Larchwood Inns?

LARCHWOOD INNS is owned by a for-profit company. For-profit facilities operate as businesses with obligations to shareholders or private owners. The facility operates independently rather than as part of a larger chain. With 130 certified beds and approximately 95 residents (about 73% occupancy), it is a mid-sized facility located in GRAND JUNCTION, Colorado.

How Does Larchwood Inns Compare to Other Colorado Nursing Homes?

Compared to the 100 nursing homes in Colorado, LARCHWOOD INNS's overall rating (2 stars) is below the state average of 3.1, staff turnover (48%) is near the state average of 46%, and health inspection rating (2 stars) is below the national benchmark.

What Should Families Ask When Visiting Larchwood Inns?

Based on this facility's data, families visiting should ask: "What safeguards and monitoring systems are in place to protect residents from abuse or neglect?" "Can I visit during a mealtime to observe dining assistance and food quality?" "How do you handle medical emergencies, and what is your hospital transfer rate?" "Can I speak with family members of current residents about their experience?" These questions are particularly relevant given the substantiated abuse finding on record.

Is Larchwood Inns Safe?

Based on CMS inspection data, LARCHWOOD INNS has documented safety concerns. The facility has 1 substantiated abuse finding (meaning confirmed case of resident harm by staff or other residents). The facility has a 2-star overall rating and ranks #100 of 100 nursing homes in Colorado. Families considering this facility should ask detailed questions about what corrective actions have been taken since these incidents.

Do Nurses at Larchwood Inns Stick Around?

LARCHWOOD INNS has a staff turnover rate of 48%, which is about average for Colorado nursing homes (state average: 46%). Moderate turnover is common in nursing homes, but families should still ask about staff tenure and how the facility maintains care continuity when employees leave.

Was Larchwood Inns Ever Fined?

LARCHWOOD INNS has been fined $46,982 across 2 penalty actions. The Colorado average is $33,549. While any fine indicates a compliance issue, fines under $50,000 are relatively common and typically reflect isolated problems that were subsequently corrected. Families should ask what specific issues led to these fines and confirm they've been resolved.

Is Larchwood Inns on Any Federal Watch List?

LARCHWOOD INNS is not on any federal watch list. The most significant is the Special Focus Facility (SFF) program, which identifies the bottom 1% of nursing homes nationally based on persistent, serious quality problems. Not being on this list means the facility has avoided the pattern of deficiencies that triggers enhanced federal oversight. This is a positive indicator, though families should still review the facility's inspection history directly.