Unsecured Medications, Inadequate Fall Prevention, and Unrepaired Door Hazard
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to maintain a safe, hazard‑free, and homelike environment, including improper medication security and supervision, delayed and incomplete fall prevention interventions, and failure to address a known door hazard. For one cognitively intact resident who was dependent on staff for medication administration but had an order to self‑administer only Promethazine under nurse supervision, surveyors observed multiple medications in his room. These included ordered medications such as Promethazine, allergy sprays, asthma inhalers, topical creams, and ammonium lactate, as well as additional inhalers (Symbicort and Breo Ellipta) for which there were no active physician orders. Some medications were on the bedside table and others were in a hospital return bag and backpack. The resident confirmed he kept medications in his room, including medications without current orders, and the Administrator acknowledged that only Promethazine was ordered for supervised self‑administration. In a separate instance, another cognitively intact resident who was dependent on staff for medication administration was found with a cup containing six morning medications on his bedside table. The RN confirmed these were his scheduled medications and that he was unable to self‑administer, despite facility policies requiring medications to be administered only by licensed staff and stored in locked compartments. The facility also failed to implement timely and adequate fall prevention interventions for residents at risk for falls. One cognitively intact resident, dependent on staff for medication administration and requiring supervision for several ADLs, experienced a fall from bed while reaching for an item on her bedside table, resulting in a skin tear to her right forehead. The fall occurred on a specific date but was not documented until a late entry note several days later, and the intervention to utilize arm rails was not initiated until the date of the late entry. The DON confirmed the facility did not identify or document the fall until that late entry and that the intervention was not put in place until that time. Another resident with severe cognitive impairment, high fall risk, extensive assistance needs, and a history of falls had multiple fall‑related interventions care planned, including bilateral fall mats and 1/2 side rails for maneuverability. This resident had two prior unwitnessed falls from bed, one with the resident partially on the floor with his arm trapped between the bed rail and frame and another with the resident found on his knees on the floor mat holding the bed rail, with pain and a skin tear documented. During observation, his bed was found raised and one fall mat was pushed almost completely under the bed, limiting its protective function. The RN confirmed the bed was not in the lowest position and that the mat’s placement would allow the resident to fall directly onto the floor, despite facility protocol to keep beds in the lowest position for safety. Additionally, the facility did not adequately address an environmental hazard related to the main entrance door, which resulted in injury to a resident. A cognitively intact resident with COPD, diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, and absence of the right great toe reported that a wound to his left big toe occurred when the broken front door slammed on his toe. Progress notes documented a skin issue to the left big toe with treatment started, but there was no documentation in the incident/accident log or medical record describing the door‑related incident. An RN stated she had received communication that the resident’s toe was crushed in the front door when it was broken, and confirmed the lack of incident documentation. The Maintenance Director reported the front door was first reported broken on a specific date and was not repaired until several weeks later by an outside vendor, indicating the door remained in disrepair during the period when the resident’s toe was injured. These combined failures—unsecured and unauthorized medications in resident rooms, leaving medications at bedside for a resident unable to self‑administer, delayed and improperly implemented fall interventions, and prolonged failure to correct a known door hazard—demonstrate the facility’s noncompliance with its own policies on medication storage, homelike environment, and fall risk management. This deficiency was investigated under Complaint Numbers 2669834 and 1350536 and affected five residents in a facility with a census of 65. The residents involved had varying levels of cognitive function and physical dependence, including severe dementia, high fall risk, and multiple chronic conditions such as heart failure, COPD, diabetes, and osteoarthritis. Facility policies reviewed by surveyors, including Medication Administration, Medication Labeling and Storage, Homelike Environment, and Falls and Fall Risk, Managing, required that medications be stored securely and administered only by licensed staff, that residents be provided a safe homelike environment, and that resident‑centered fall prevention interventions be implemented and adjusted based on risk factors and environmental hazards. The observations, interviews, and record reviews showed that these policies were not consistently followed in practice for the residents cited.
Penalty
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Surveyors found that the facility failed to keep the environment free of accident hazards when a resident’s room contained an unattended shaving razor on the sink and additional razors in a nightstand, despite leadership stating razors were not permitted in resident rooms. An LPN disposed of unused lancets in regular trash instead of a sharps container, contrary to acknowledged policy. On two occasions, an unattended housekeeping cart on an upper floor had germicidal wipes left on top and easily accessible, even though housekeeping leadership and staff stated that chemicals and disinfectant wipes were to be kept locked in the cart for safety.
A resident with severe cognitive impairment, dementia with behavioral disturbances, and fall risk interventions in place was transferred by staff using methods that did not match the care plan and Kardex. Staff used a transfer belt for some transfers, then later used a Hoyer lift from mattresses on the floor to a wheelchair, but used a green sling even though the resident required a yellow sling based on weight. The RN, LPN, DON, and PT verified the resident’s transfer status and sling instructions were not updated to reflect current needs.
A resident with severe cognitive impairment, dementia, a history of falls, and dependence on staff for transfers was observed using a lift reclining chair even though the care plan and physical device review did not identify that device. Therapy staff lowered the chair and placed the remote next to the call light on the resident’s lap, and staff stated they were not aware of any formal assessment for safe use of the lift chair. The DON stated the resident should have had an assessment to determine whether she was safe to have the lift chair.
A resident with nicotine dependence was care planned as a smoker who could go out to smoke at designated times or with family, with an intervention that a smoking evaluation be completed quarterly. The last documented smoking safety evaluation showed the resident could safely smoke with supervision, but no additional evaluations were completed for several months, contrary to facility policy requiring smoking assessments at admission, readmission, with significant change, and quarterly by a licensed nurse, even though the resident continued to smoke under staff and family supervision in the courtyard.
Failure to supervise smokers and secure smoking materials. Surveyors found that 27 smokers were not adequately monitored and that residents were able to keep cigarettes and lighters in their possession despite care plan directions to return them after smoking. One resident with severe cognitive impairment, dementia, schizophrenia, and continuous oxygen use was observed with cigarettes and a lighter while on oxygen, and staff confirmed she was an unsafe smoker requiring direct supervision.
Code Alert System Failed to Prevent Resident Elopement: The facility failed to keep the code alert system functioning as intended and did not follow the manufacturer’s weekly testing and inspection guidance. Two residents with significant cognitive impairment were able to get through the main doors, and one resident exited the building before staff followed outside. The report also states that multiple residents with code alert devices did not have adequate elopement or wandering assessments and care plan interventions, and several attempts to leave were not documented in the record.
Failure to Control Razors, Sharps, and Chemical Wipes Creating Accident Hazards
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to maintain an environment as free of accident hazards as possible and to provide adequate supervision and safe handling of potentially hazardous items. On one floor, a shaving razor was observed on the sink in a resident’s room. When questioned, the resident stated the razor on the sink was not his and showed the surveyor separate razors he kept in his nightstand. The resident’s record showed admission with malignant neoplasm of overlapping sites of the bladder and care plans for ADL self-care deficits related to activity intolerance, generalized muscle weakness, bladder cancer, and a history of gross hematuria, with interventions including encouraging and assisting with bathing, personal hygiene, and oral care. Facility leadership, including the ADON, Administrator/Risk Manager, and DON, stated that residents were not allowed to keep shaving razors in their rooms and that razors were to be kept in the supply room. Additional observations showed that staff did not consistently follow safe disposal practices for sharps and did not secure chemical products as required by facility policy. An LPN performing a blood glucose check discarded unused lancets into the medication cart trash instead of a sharps container, despite acknowledging that lancets were to be disposed of in a sharps-resistant container. On two separate observations, a housekeeping cart on the second floor was left unattended with a container of germicidal wipes placed on top of the cart and easily accessible. Corporate housekeeping staff and the Housekeeping Director stated that all chemicals that could harm residents should be locked in the cart’s compartment, and housekeeping staff reported that disinfectant wipes and cleaning supplies were to be kept locked in the cart for resident safety. The facility’s written “Nursing Home Accident Prevention and Safety Policy” stated a commitment to maintaining a safe, hazard-free environment and identifying and correcting safety risks promptly.
Plan Of Correction
Preparation and execution of this plan of correction does not constitute admission or agreement by the provider of the terms or conclusions set forth in the statement of deficiencies. This plan of correction is prepared and/or executed solely because it is required by provisions of the Federal and State laws. The facility continues to ensure that the resident environment remains free of accident hazards as possible. IMMEDIATE CORRECTIVE ACTION Resident #29 was not adversely affected by the alleged deficient practice. Razor was immediately removed and disposed of from resident's room by nurse on 5/11/26. Germicidal wipes were immediately secured in a locked housekeeping cart on 5/11/26. Staff E was provided with 1:1 education by the Director of Nursing regarding the importance of providing an environment free from hazards and accidents with emphasis on keeping hazardous items like razor secured on 5/11/26. Staff G was provided with 1 to 1 education by House Keeping Director regarding ensuring that all housekeeping chemical products are secured in a locked housekeeping cart when not in use on 5/12/2026. IDENTIFICATION OF OTHER RESIDENTS HAVING POTENTIAL TO BE AFFECTED All active residents in the facility can potentially be affected by the alleged deficient practice. The Director of Nursing and/ designee conducted a facility-wide observation audit to ensure that hazardous items are locked and secured and that staff are disposing of Sharps in a Sharp Resistant Container on 05/15/2026. The Housekeeping Director conducted a facility-wide observation on 5/15/2026 to ensure that all housekeeping chemical products were secured and locked inside the housekeeping cart when not in use. No residents were adversely affected by the alleged deficient practice. SYSTEMATIC CHANGES Director of Nursing initiated ongoing in-service education with staff on standards of maintaining an environment free from hazards/accidents with emphasis on keeping hazardous items like razor secured and properly disposing of sharps in sharps resistant container on 5/20/26. The Housekeeping Director and/or designee initiated ongoing in-service education on standards of maintaining an environment free from hazards/accidents with emphasis on keeping housekeeping chemical products secured and locked in a housekeeping cart when not in use on 5/20/2026. MONITORING The Director of Nursing and/or designee will conduct random observation audits to ensure that hazardous items are locked and secured and sharps are disposed in sharps resistant container weekly for 3 months. The Housekeeping Director and/or designee will conduct random observation audits to ensure that housekeeping chemical products are secured and locked in a housekeeping cart weekly for 3 months. The Director of Nursing, Housekeeping Director and/or designee will report findings of observation/audits to the quality assurance committee monthly for 3 months to ensure continued substantial compliance is achieved and maintained.
Failure to Follow Transfer and Sling Size Interventions
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure staff followed fall risk interventions for one resident identified as at risk for falls. The resident had severe cognitive impairment, delusions, behaviors directed at others, dementia with behavioral disturbances, anxiety, an affective disorder, diabetes, and hearing loss. The resident’s care plan and Kardex identified the resident as a fall risk and stated the resident was independent for transfers, while also noting that if a Hoyer transfer was required, a yellow/medium sling was to be used. During observation, nursing assistants transferred the resident from a wheelchair to the toilet using a transfer belt, then later transferred the resident from the wheelchair to mattresses on the floor using a transfer belt and two staff members. Staff stated they normally used a Hoyer lift to lift the resident from the mattresses on the floor, but the resident’s Kardex did not identify the mattresses on the floor or clarify when a Hoyer should be used for transfers. Staff also stated the resident was not independent with transfers and required one to two staff for wheelchair-to-toilet transfers and two staff with a Hoyer for transfers to and from the mattresses on the floor. On a later observation, two nursing assistants used a Hoyer lift to transfer the resident from the mattresses on the floor to a wheelchair, but used a green sling even though the resident weighed 155 pounds and the manufacturer’s chart indicated a yellow sling was required. Staff stated the green sling was too big for the resident and that the correct sling size was important for safety. The RN, LPN, DON, and PT all verified that the resident’s care plan and Kardex were not revised to reflect the resident’s current transfer abilities and the correct sling size and transfer method for the resident’s current setup.
Failure to Assess Safe Use of Lift Reclining Chair
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure a resident was safe to have a lift reclining chair. The resident had severe cognitive impairment, lower extremity impairment on one side of the body, a history of falls, dependence on staff for transfers, and diagnoses including dementia, disorientation, anxiety, muscle weakness, and a right pubis fracture. The resident’s care plan identified high fall risk related to impaired mobility, confusion, and dementia, and directed staff to keep the call light within reach and encourage use of it. The care plan also stated the resident required two staff to assist with transfers using a standing lift as needed, but it did not identify use of a lift reclining chair. The physical device review also did not identify an electric recliner chair or other lift type reclining chair. During observation, the resident was transferred into the lift chair by therapy staff, who lowered it from an upright position to a seated and then reclining position. The remote for the lift chair and the call light were both placed on the resident’s lap next to each other. The PTA stated she was not aware of any assessment for safe use of the lift chairs, and nursing and therapy staff stated they were not aware of any formal lift chair assessment for the resident. The DON stated therapy worked with residents who had lift chairs and was not aware of any formal assessment, and later stated the resident should have had an assessment completed to determine if she was safe to have a lift chair. The DON also stated the resident was cognitively impaired and could accidentally use the lift chair remote when intending to push the call light.
Failure to Complete Required Quarterly Smoking Safety Assessments
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure resident safety related to smoking by not completing required smoking safety assessments at the prescribed frequency for one resident. A resident with a diagnosis that included nicotine dependence was observed smoking in the courtyard with his daughter present, and later in the presence of Activities staff who remained outside with the residents while they smoked. The resident’s care plan, dated 2/4/25, identified him as a smoker who could go out to smoke at designated times or with family and specified that a smoking evaluation would be completed quarterly. Record review showed the most recent Smoking Safety Evaluation had been completed on 11/6/24 and indicated the resident could safely smoke with supervision, but no further evaluations were completed until 4/30/26, despite facility policy requiring smoking assessments upon admission, readmission, with significant change, and quarterly by a licensed nurse.
Failure to Supervise Smokers and Secure Smoking Materials
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to adequately supervise 27 identified smokers and failed to secure resident smoking materials, including lighters and cigarettes. Surveyors found that the facility’s smoking policy required smoking-related privileges, restrictions, and concerns to be documented in the care plan and communicated to personnel, and required residents with restricted smoking privileges to be monitored under direct supervision while smoking. Resident #15 was observed sitting up in bed with oxygen in use, and later was observed on the smoking patio sitting in a wheelchair with a plastic bag containing cigarettes and a lighter in her lap. Staff confirmed she was identified as an unsafe smoker and required a smoking apron while smoking. Her record showed severe cognitive impairment with a BIMS score of 6, diagnoses including dementia and schizophrenia, and continuous oxygen at 2 liters per minute via nasal cannula for COPD. Review of the records for all 27 smokers showed care plan interventions requiring them to return smoking materials to the Activities Department after re-entering the building from the smoking patio. Interviews with the Activity Director, LPN, MDS staff, CNA, DON, Administrator, and Medical Director showed conflicting descriptions of where smoking materials were kept, but multiple staff acknowledged that residents kept cigarettes and lighters in their possession and that residents were expected to turn them in after smoking. The Medical Director stated residents were not permitted to keep cigarettes or lighters and that residents with low BIMS scores or those receiving oxygen should not have access to smoking materials.
Code Alert System Failed to Prevent Resident Elopement
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure the code alert system used for residents at risk for elopement was functioning properly and failed to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for weekly testing and inspection. The report states that the immediate jeopardy began when R12 was able to exit the building after the main entrance code alert system malfunctioned, and that R19 was also able to get through the main doors because the doors did not lock as required by the system. The manufacturer’s binder in the facility called for weekly testing of the code alert units, regular testing of each detection zone, and quarterly service inspections, but the facility’s logs showed the doors were being tested monthly instead of weekly. R19 was severely cognitively impaired with Alzheimer’s disease. The resident’s assessment identified low elopement risk, and the care plan lacked interventions for elopement and wandering. During observation, R19 wheeled to the main entrance, went through the first door into the vestibule, and the alarm sounded, but the door did not lock. A nursing assistant responded and redirected R19 back to the central TV area. The resident’s progress note did not include the attempt to leave the building. R12 was severely cognitively impaired with non-Alzheimer’s dementia and anxiety. The resident had repeated attempts to leave the facility, but the care plan lacked elopement and wandering interventions, and the most recent assessment also identified low elopement risk with the door alarm band not selected. During observations, R12 repeatedly approached the main entrance, triggered the alarm, and was able to get through the first door into the vestibule; on one occasion R12 exited the building before being followed outside by staff. The report also states that R12’s record lacked documentation of the successful exit and other attempts to leave. In addition, the facility failed to adequately assess and develop care plans for multiple other residents assigned code alert devices, including residents with severe or moderate cognitive impairment and diagnoses such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, whose care plans did not include elopement or wandering interventions or, in some cases, the location of the device.
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