Failure to Maintain Safe and Comfortable Environment
Summary
The facility failed to provide a safe and comfortable environment for its residents, as evidenced by room temperatures exceeding 80 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity levels above 60%. This issue was observed in multiple resident rooms, despite the central air conditioning and portable fans being operational. The facility did not identify all residents at high risk for heat stroke or heat exhaustion, nor did it follow its extreme weather conditions policy to monitor ambient temperatures effectively. This failure affected all 47 residents in the facility. Observations and interviews revealed that residents and their family members expressed discomfort due to the high temperatures. Some residents reported that their air conditioning units were not functioning properly, and maintenance logs indicated unresolved issues with these units. Additionally, residents were not consistently provided with cold drinks or ice water, and some were not assisted into cooler areas of the facility. The facility's maintenance staff was not present for a period, and there was a lack of documentation regarding the monitoring of room temperatures and resident conditions. The facility's contracted HVAC service provider identified significant maintenance issues, including nonfunctional compressors and clogged convectors in resident rooms. The facility's maintenance records showed a lack of preventive maintenance, contributing to the inadequate cooling. The facility's policies required monitoring of ambient temperatures and resident conditions during extreme weather, but these were not followed, leading to the deficiency.
Removal Plan
- Facility Administrator initiated additional monitoring of air temperatures, taking and tracking air temperatures every 2 hours. This is still currently in place and will be continued until all room temperatures are consistently at 75 degrees or below; at which time daily monitoring of temperatures will resume in accordance with facility standard procedures.
- Facility Administrator assigned department managers to assist direct care staff with monitoring residents every 2 hours and questioning residents about comfort. Residents in rooms with the highest recorded temperatures were also asked/encouraged to move to another/cooler room.
- Facility Administrator provided residents with fans as available.
- Facility Activity personnel passed out popsicles to residents, in accordance with prescribed diets.
- Facility Administrator instructed licensed nurses and C.N.A.s to increase monitoring of all residents and increase the provision of ice/water. Administrator also encouraged staff to encourage mobile residents' use of hydration stations provided on both floors.
- Facility DON implemented additional temperature (vital) monitoring (2 times/shift) for all residents.
- Facility Nursing Managers identified residents with higher risk for negative effects related to hot temperatures. Residents with mobility, respiratory, g-tube dependent, and other concerns outlined in the facility's Extreme Weather policy were identified and additional interventions were put in place, such as additional g-tube flushes, checking/changing of positioning/clothing/linen for residents in bed, etc.
- Facility Administrator and DON initiated a rounding tool to document the 2-hour rounding being completed by nursing management, and ensure the following: Frequent monitoring of residents with mobility concern (bed-bound), Frequent monitoring of residents with compromised ability to verbalize discomfort, Frequent monitoring of resident body temperature, Presence of ice/water/appropriate hydration in the resident room.
- Facility's nursing management, initiated nurses monitoring for signs/symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke every 4 hours; with documentation in the residents' MARs.
- Facility Administrator conducted education to all staff on facility extreme hot weather policy and checking for signs/symptoms of hyperthermia.
- Facility RDO arranged for the Maintenance Director at an affiliated facility to assess the HVAC function, in observation of the PTAC units in the lobby and conference room not working, and anticipation of continuous high temperatures expected during the week. Temperatures on the care units were not noted as a concern at this time.
- Assisting Maintenance Director contacted the facility's contracted HVAC service provider to provide further assessment of the HVAC system and planned to secure parts for repair of the PTAC units in the facility's lobby and conference rooms.
- Assisting Maintenance Director repaired the PTAC unit in the facility's conference room and verified availability and function of 17 window A/C units. The assisting Maintenance Director developed a plan and secured the additional staff needed to install the units.
- Facility's contracted HVAC service provider assessed the HVAC system and performed service to the facility's chillers and compressors; providing the facility with 50% function of the system that provides A/C to the public areas, (hallways and dining rooms). The facility Administrator and management were told that a repair to the rooftop unit will be needed and could be scheduled when outside temperatures subside, however the current function % would be sufficient to provide the amount of A/C necessary to maintain appropriate temperatures throughout the building in the interim.
- Assisting Maintenance Director returned to the facility to install window units on the second floor, where the rooms with the highest temperatures were located. A/C units were installed in the following rooms: 200 (4 bed-room - 2 units installed), 203, 206, 207, 208, 209, 211, 210, 214, 215, 217, 218, 222, 223, 224, Facility lobby.
- Facility's contracted HVAC service provider returned to the facility to do additional assessment and service to the ground level chiller, central A/C units to maximize A/C performance to facility public areas. The provider also initiated assessment and service to the convectors in the resident rooms. The Administrator will ensure that the HVAC service provider provides routine maintenance annually of the HVAC systems, in accordance with the facility PM program.
- Facility's contracted HVAC service provider completed the assessment and service to all the convectors in the residents' rooms. The Administrator will ensure that the convectors are assessed/cleaned/serviced monthly by the Maintenance Director or designee (HVAC service provider). The company's corporate maintenance director or designee (HVAC service provider) will perform quarterly audit of the primary HVAC system to ensure proper maintenance/function in between annual inspections provided by the HVAC service provider. The corporate maintenance director or designee (HVAC service provider) will also complete random audits of the individual room convectors on a quarterly basis to ensure compliance with monthly maintenance.
Penalty
Resources
Below are regulatory guidelines relevant to this citation:
Unsafe and unsanitary resident rooms were observed with clutter, uncovered food, and rodent activity. A resident with schizophrenia and depression had food crumbs and meat under the bed, while another resident reported mouse droppings and hoarded food in a crowded room. Other rooms had overflowing bins, bags of belongings, and uncovered food, and staff reported that some residents refused housekeeping access and that pest control service in resident rooms was inconsistent.
Strong urine odor in Hallway B. Surveyors repeatedly observed a noticeable urine smell at the beginning of and down Hallway B, including near the entrance where multiple residents were sitting in the hall. CNA 1 and CNA 2 both confirmed the odor, and the DON acknowledged the facility was aware of the strong smell at the entrance of Hallway B and cited the facility policy that residents have the right to a clean and comfortable environment.
Multiple rooms on one unit were found with environmental deficiencies, including broken and unsecured electrical outlets, damaged and stained walls and ceilings, improvised extensions on light cords using a plastic bag and a washcloth, dripping and constantly running sink faucets with discolored grout, and a strong urine odor in one room. A review of work orders and an interview with the Facilities Director showed that only two work orders had been submitted for this unit, both generated after surveyor observations, indicating that unit staff had not routinely initiated maintenance requests for these conditions.
The facility did not maintain a safe, comfortable, and homelike environment, as evidenced by two residents with dementia and other comorbidities living in rooms with multiple wall holes, chipped drywall, missing paint, and water-stained ceilings, and by extensive uneven flooring in two main halls. Observations showed numerous divots, chipped areas around drainage covers, and partially filled floor defects near the nurses' station and along the East and South halls. A resident reported wheelchairs becoming stuck in these floor ruts, and maintenance staff confirmed both the room damage and the lack of flush flooring around drains, as well as the absence of a current repair plan.
A clogged floor drain sink in a janitor room led to black, dirty water accumulating in the drain and overflowing into a hallway. A housekeeper reported that the drain, used for disposing of mop water and cleaning chemicals, had been clogged for some time and that she had informed her supervisor. The housekeeping supervisor stated she had submitted several work orders and that housekeeping staff had been attempting to unclog the drain themselves for months, while the maintenance director reported having no active work orders for the issue and indicated that such black water can carry harmful microorganisms. The administrator stated he expects staff to submit work orders and report issues promptly.
The facility did not maintain ceiling structures and plumbing in a safe and clean condition, resulting in long‑standing stained and bulging ceiling tiles above the nurses’ station and an actively leaking pipe in the ice machine/vending area. Surveyors observed missing ceiling tiles exposing insulation, wiring, and water pipes, standing water collected in a trash can, and soaked blankets and towels on the floor. An RN and an LPN reported that the ceiling tiles above the nurses’ station had been stained for months or longer, and that the ceiling had been leaking in the ice machine area for several days, where the ice machine is used for all residents. The Regional Maintenance Director confirmed the stained tiles and the leaking pipe and acknowledged that the tiles had not yet been replaced.
Unsafe and unsanitary resident rooms with clutter, uncovered food, and rodent activity
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide a safe, sanitary, and comfortable environment for 7 of 7 residents reviewed for environment. Multiple resident rooms were observed with clutter, food, and signs of rodent activity, while several rooms were not being routinely checked or serviced for pest control. The report also identified a missing light cover over one resident’s bed and a garage used for resident belongings that was filled with stored items and had no pest control in place. One resident with schizophrenia, depression, and moderate cognitive impairment had a care plan that addressed her belief that mice were her friends and directed staff to discourage food in her room. During observation, a large amount of black crumbs and two patties of what appeared to be meat were found under the bed. The infection preventionist stated staff were supposed to look for food in the room on every shift and housekeeping was supposed to clean the room twice a day. The maintenance director confirmed that bait stations in resident rooms were not serviced during one month reviewed, and the room service records showed the room was not checked during several months and had light rodent activity when it was checked. Another resident with delusional disorder and intact cognition reported finding mouse droppings on the bed and said the roommate hoarded food and garbage. The room contained stacked bins, bedside stands, an overbed table with a coffee maker and wrapped fruit tray, and a shopping bag of personal items. The maintenance director stated he had seen mouse droppings in the room and that pest control traps were present, but the room service records showed no rodent bait stations in that room. Additional residents with diagnoses including paranoid schizophrenia, PTSD, depression, bipolar depression, and homelessness had rooms observed with overflowing bins, bags of belongings, uncovered food on a plate, and crowded storage throughout the room. Several care plans did not address clutter or overcrowding, and staff stated some residents would not allow housekeeping to clean their rooms.
Strong urine odor in Hallway B
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide a safe and sanitary environment in Hallway B, where a strong urine odor was repeatedly observed during the survey. On 4/27/26, 4/28/26, 4/29/26, 4/30/26, and 5/1/26, surveyors noted a strong urine smell at the beginning of or down Hallway B, including at the entrance where multiple residents were observed sitting in the hall. During interviews, CNA 1 and CNA 2 both acknowledged a noticeable urine odor in Hallway B, and the DON stated the facility was aware of a strong odor at the entrance of Hallway B and confirmed the facility policy that all residents have the right to a clean and comfortable environment.
Failure to Maintain Homelike and Well-Maintained Resident Rooms
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain a safe, clean, comfortable, and homelike environment on the Pensacola 1 unit, as evidenced by multiple environmental deficiencies observed in six resident rooms. In one room, a wall clock was broken with a large piece missing and several white patches were visible on the wall. Another room had multiple large brown marks of unknown substance on the wall that were immediately visible upon entry. A separate room had a loud, constant buzzing noise whenever the bathroom light was turned on. Additional observations included several visible water marks on a ceiling, a broken electrical plug plate, and a heavily damaged wall behind a bed. Other rooms showed further environmental issues, including a wall light over a bed that had a cord extended with a plastic bag so the resident could reach it, and an electrical outlet at the head-of-bed wall that was not secure and was visibly coming out of the wall. One room had a dripping sink faucet and very discolored grout around the sink, while another had a strong smell of urine. Yet another room had a sink faucet that was constantly running, and one bed area had a washcloth attached to the light cord to extend its reach and six large screws or hooks in the wall. Interview with the Facilities Director revealed that unit staff were expected to complete work orders for needed repairs, but only two open work orders existed for this unit, both related to issues reported during the survey, indicating that routine work orders had not been submitted by unit staff for the observed problems.
Failure to Maintain Resident Rooms and Hallway Flooring in Safe, Homelike Condition
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure a safe, comfortable, and homelike environment by not maintaining resident rooms in good repair and by allowing uneven flooring in two hallways. One resident with atrial fibrillation and dementia was observed in a room with at least seven holes in the wall over the bed, scattered areas of missing paint on the same wall, and a large area of chipped drywall and missing paint extending approximately 36 inches up from the baseboard next to the bed. Another resident with dementia and a history of stroke was observed in a room with multiple areas of missing paint on the walls by the window and on the east wall, as well as large water stains on the ceiling above the sink. The Maintenance Supervisor confirmed the presence of the holes, missing paint, and water stains in these rooms and acknowledged there were many similar issues and no current plan for repairs or painting. The facility also failed to maintain safe, even flooring in the East and South hallways. Multiple divots were observed throughout these hallways, with drainage covers that were discolored and surrounded by chipped and cracked flooring, creating uneven divots. Additional chipped flooring divots, some partially filled with shellac, were seen near the nurses' station and in both the East and South hallways. A resident reported having seen wheelchairs get stuck in these ruts and unable to move through the hallways. The Maintenance Director confirmed that the flooring was not flush with the drainage covers and that multiple divots were present throughout the East and South hallways.
Clogged Janitor Room Floor Drain and Black Water Overflow
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified a deficiency related to the facility’s failure to maintain a safe, functional, sanitary, and comfortable environment for all 89 residents when a janitor room floor drain sink on one unit remained clogged and inoperable. During observation of the 400 Unit, water was seen coming from the janitor room into the hallway, and when the door was opened, the floor drain was observed to be filled with approximately 10 inches of black, dirty water. A housekeeper reported that she had spilled water in the hall while dumping her mop bucket into the floor drain sink and had mopped it up, and she confirmed that the drain was clogged and that this sink was used to dispose of cleaning chemicals from mop buckets. The housekeeper stated she had informed her supervisor about the clogged drain, but it had not been fixed and that it had been this way for “a while.” The housekeeping supervisor reported she had made several work orders regarding the janitor room and water overflow and that she and her staff had been unclogging the drain themselves for months. The maintenance director stated that housekeeping is responsible for their department and should notify him if anything is needed, that he had no active work orders regarding water overflow, and that housekeeping should have submitted a work order for the janitor room. He also stated that the black water could carry bacteria, mold, E. coli, salmonella, and possibly Legionella. The administrator stated he expects staff to place work orders and report issues immediately so they can be addressed right away.
Failure to Maintain Safe and Well-Repaired Ceilings and Plumbing
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain the physical environment in a safe, clean, and well‑repaired condition, specifically related to ceiling tiles and a cold water pipe. The Facility Maintenance Director job description required planning, organizing, and directing maintenance operations to ensure the building was safe and comfortable, including repairing facility property, coordinating outside vendors when needed, maintaining supplies and equipment, promptly reporting damage to the Administrator, and making weekly inspections. A former Maintenance Director was terminated for incompetence and unsatisfactory job performance, including failure to complete assigned tasks such as fixing or replacing stained ceiling tiles by an established deadline. At the time of the survey, the facility census was 72 residents, all potentially affected by the environmental deficiencies. On observation, surveyors noted an actively leaking water pipe in the ceiling of the ice machine/vending area, with a trash can placed beneath it containing about one inch of standing water, two soaked blankets and multiple wet towels on the floor, and a missing 2x2 ceiling tile exposing insulation, wiring, and water pipes. Twelve ceiling tiles above the nurses’ desk were brown‑stained and visibly bulging, suggesting ongoing water damage, and on a subsequent day the ice machine/vending area still had two missing 2x2 ceiling tiles with exposed insulation, wiring, and pipes. An RN reported that the ceiling tiles above the nurses’ station had been stained since she began working there months earlier, and an LPN stated the tiles had been stained for as long as she could remember and that the ceiling had been leaking in the ice machine area for several days, noting that the ice machine there was used for all residents. The Regional Maintenance Director confirmed the stained tiles above the nurses’ station and the leaking pipe in the ice machine/vending area, stating that the tiles had not yet been changed because they took time to cut and no one had done it.
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