Failure to Obtain and Follow PICC Line Orders for Two Residents
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to ensure safe, appropriate administration and management of PICC lines and IV-related care for two residents in accordance with physician orders and the facility’s own central venous catheter policy. For one resident (R7), who was admitted with a PICC line placed in the left basilic vein for chemotherapy/infusions, the facility did not obtain any physician orders for PICC care or monitoring at the time of admission and did not develop a PICC-related care plan until eight days later. The admission clinical assessment section specific to PICC line care (including PICC care profile, length, solution, location, patency, and site) was left incomplete, and multiple skin assessments and the admission nurse’s note failed to document the presence or condition of the PICC line, despite hospital records clearly indicating its placement and measurements. During interviews, nursing staff could not explain why PICC orders were missing for several days after admission, and the DON later acknowledged that there were no hospital orders for the PICC line and that the PICC should have been identified and documented during the skin assessment. For the second resident (R1), who had complex orthopedic and infectious diagnoses including left total hip and knee arthroplasty with antibiotic spacers and a history of polymicrobial and fungal infection, the facility did not consistently follow existing physician orders for PICC line care and monitoring. R1 had multiple detailed orders, including weekly PICC dressing and injection cap changes, flushing PICC lumens every shift with normal saline, monitoring the PICC site every shift for signs and symptoms of infection, measuring external catheter length weekly, and measuring left arm circumference above the insertion site every shift with notification of the MD for changes. Review of the January and February treatment administration records (TARs) showed multiple dates and shifts where these ordered treatments and assessments were left blank, indicating they were not documented as completed. On several specific dates, required dressing changes, cap changes, external length measurements, arm circumference measurements, site monitoring, and line flushes were not initialed on the TAR. The facility’s own policy on central venous catheter care requires site care and dressing changes at established intervals or when compromised, daily assessment of the entire infusion system and insertion site, evaluation for signs of complications, and measurement of external catheter length and arm circumference for PICCs when indicated. Despite this, for R7, there were no initial orders or care plan elements to operationalize these requirements, and the PICC line was omitted from admission and subsequent skin assessments. For R1, although appropriate orders were in place, the nursing staff did not consistently document completion of the ordered PICC-related treatments and monitoring on multiple dates, and there were no progress notes explaining why the physician orders were not followed. When questioned, a unit manager stated that the expectation is that completed treatments are signed out on the TAR or documented in a note, underscoring that the missing initials represented a failure to carry out or document the ordered PICC care. Interviews with staff further clarified the gaps in practice. R7 reported that staff flushed her PICC line daily and showed the surveyor a dressing dated several days after admission, but this care was not supported by timely physician orders or a care plan at the time of admission. LPNs caring for R7 were unable to explain the delay in obtaining PICC orders. The unit manager indicated that the admitting nurse is responsible for completing orders and that unit managers typically ensure orders are complete, yet the omission of PICC orders persisted for eight days. For R1, review of progress notes on dates where PICC orders were not initialed revealed no documentation explaining missed or omitted treatments. A unit manager confirmed that the expectation is that nurses sign out treatments on the TAR, highlighting that the blank entries represented noncompliance with physician orders for PICC care and monitoring.
Penalty
Resources
Below are regulatory guidelines relevant to this citation:
A resident with osteomyelitis and a PICC line had physician orders for IV Vancomycin twice daily and IV Cefazolin every 8 hours, but the MAR lacked documentation for several scheduled doses. Specifically, morning Vancomycin doses and an afternoon Cefazolin dose were not recorded, despite facility guidelines requiring nurses to sign the MAR immediately after medication administration.
A resident receiving IV Ertapenem via a midline catheter had no care plan intervention for IV site monitoring and no physician order for normal saline (NS) flushes, yet an LPN flushed the midline with NS before and after an antibiotic infusion as a routine practice. The TAR contained an order for weekly PICC dressing changes, which the DON documented as completed, but the resident actually had a midline catheter. The DON initially reported a measurable external catheter length inconsistent with the hospital placement record, which documented a midline with 0 cm external length, and only later acknowledged that no external catheter or hash marks were visible, demonstrating inaccurate assessment and documentation of the midline catheter.
A resident admitted with wound infection and bacteremia received IV vancomycin via a midline catheter, but staff failed to follow facility policy and physician orders requiring measurement and documentation of the external catheter length. The care plan identified risk for complications related to the midline and called for measuring and documenting the external catheter length during dressing changes, yet the admission external length was left blank and no subsequent measurements were recorded. Observation confirmed the resident had IV access for antibiotic administration, and the DON acknowledged that the external catheter length was never documented and no insertion-length information was obtained from the hospital.
PICC line care was not consistently completed or documented for two residents with PICC lines for IV antibiotics. One resident with COPD and another resident with chronic osteomyelitis had orders for daily external PICC length measurements, but records showed missed documentation on multiple days. For one resident, ordered PICC dressing and cap changes every 7 days were also not documented. The Regional Administrator of Clinical Operations stated the facility did not consistently monitor and maintain the PICC lines in accordance with physician orders, facility policy, and professional standards of practice.
A resident with multiple sclerosis, respiratory failure, sepsis, and severely impaired cognition received IV Vancomycin for pneumonia, but the IV dressing was not labeled with the insertion date, time, or staff initials. During the infusion, the RN supervisor later found the IV had infiltrated with redness and swelling. Facility policy required IV site labeling and ongoing assessment for infiltration, phlebitis, and infection.
A resident with cancer, malnutrition, and recent hypotension had a physician’s order for peripheral IV NS hydration over four hours on three consecutive days. The IV hydration ordered for the first day was not administered as scheduled and was instead initiated late the following day by an RN, who reported that the prior shift had not carried out the order and that no IV line was in place at the start of her shift. The DON later stated she was unaware of the missed dose and acknowledged the importance of the hydration given the resident’s hypotension. Facility IV P&P required timely initiation of infusion therapy when ordered and available from the e-kit, but this was not followed.
Failure to Document Ordered IV Antibiotic Administration on MAR
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that a resident’s IV antibiotic therapy was accurately documented on the medication administration record (MAR) as ordered by the physician. The resident, who had osteomyelitis and a PICC line in the right upper extremity, had a physician’s order dated 4/8/26 for Vancomycin HCl 1.25 grams IV twice daily at 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. The April 2026 MAR lacked documentation of the 8:00 a.m. Vancomycin doses on 4/23/26 and 4/27/26. A subsequent physician’s order dated 4/20/26 directed Cefazolin Sodium 2 grams IV every 8 hours at 6:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m., and 10:00 p.m. for the same diagnosis, and the April 2026 MAR lacked documentation of the 2:00 p.m. Cefazolin dose on 4/23/26. During the survey, the resident was observed with an active PICC line, and staff confirmed that the MAR should be signed by the nurse administering the medication. The Regional Director of Operations provided the facility’s Medication Administration Guidelines, which state that the MAR is to be signed immediately after administering medications, under “The Right Documentation.” Despite this policy, the MAR entries for the specified IV antibiotic doses were not completed, resulting in missing documentation for multiple ordered IV antibiotic administrations.
Unauthorized IV Flushes and Inaccurate Midline Catheter Assessment
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to ensure parenteral medications were administered according to a physician’s order and to accurately assess and document a resident’s midline catheter. A resident with intact cognition, admitted with diagnoses including UTI and ESBL infection, returned from the hospital with an IV catheter for continuation of IV Ertapenem therapy. The resident’s care plan noted IV antibiotic therapy but did not include an intervention to monitor the IV site. Facility policy required that medications be administered only upon a signed prescriber order and that PICC/midline/CVAD catheters be inspected and measured from hub to skin entry to detect migration. Surveyor review of the resident’s record showed a TAR order for weekly PICC dressing changes, which was documented as completed by the DON, but the record did not contain any order for normal saline (NS) flushes. During observation, an LPN prepared and administered Ertapenem via the resident’s catheter using a ball pump. Before starting the infusion, the LPN scrubbed the hub and flushed the catheter with 10 ml NS, then connected the antibiotic tubing and initiated the infusion. Later, after clamping the IV tubing, the LPN again scrubbed the hub and flushed the catheter with another 10 ml NS. When questioned, the LPN acknowledged there was no order for NS flushes in the medical record and stated that flushing before and after an infusion was routine practice. The DON reported having performed the resident’s catheter dressing change and stated that the external catheter length had been measured, but also stated there was no place in the record to document this measurement. The DON initially reported an external catheter length of 10 cm without the hub and 14 cm with the hub, and provided hospital placement documentation. Surveyor review of that documentation showed the device was a single-lumen power midline with an external catheter length of 0 cm. An RN from the infusion clinic confirmed the resident had a midline catheter, not a PICC, and that a midline’s external length should be 0 cm, with visible hash marks only if the catheter was migrating out. Upon being informed of this, the DON then stated there was 0 cm of external catheter visible and no hash marks seen during the dressing change, indicating the earlier measurement provided by the DON did not accurately reflect the midline catheter’s documented external length.
Failure to Measure and Document External Midline Catheter Length for IV Therapy
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to administer IV therapy in accordance with professional standards of practice and physician orders for one resident with a midline catheter. Facility policy for central venous catheter dressing changes, dated May 2011, required an RN to measure the external portion of the catheter, document this measurement in the electronic medical record, ensure it matched the IV insertion records, and notify the physician of any discrepancies. The resident’s comprehensive care plan, initiated shortly after admission, identified risk for complications related to the midline and included an intervention to measure and document the length of the external catheter during dressing changes; however, the external length on admission was left blank in the care plan. The resident was admitted with diagnoses of wound infection and bacteremia and had a physician order for IV vancomycin every 12 hours for 21 days, as well as a subsequent order to measure the external catheter length with each weekly dressing change. The MDS indicated the resident received IV therapy for antibiotic medications while in the facility. Observation confirmed the resident had IV access for antibiotic administration. Review of the clinical record revealed no documented evidence that the external catheter length was measured and documented on admission or with any dressing changes thereafter. The DON confirmed that the facility did not document the resident’s external catheter length and did not have documentation from the hospital regarding the external catheter length at the time of insertion.
Plan Of Correction
1. All PICC lines will be measured in accordance with facility policy 2. The policy on Central Venous Catheter Dressing Change (PICC Line) will be updated as needed. 3. The licensed nursing staff will be in-serviced by the ADON or designee on policy changes. 4. As part of routine clinical review meeting, the ADON will verify PICC line measurements are being completed according to policy 5. For the next 60 days, the ADON or designee will complete an audit to verify compliance. 6. Results of the audit will be reported to facility QA team.
PICC Line Monitoring and Dressing Care Not Completed as Ordered
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure intravenous therapy was provided and monitored in accordance with physician orders and professional standards of practice for two residents with PICC lines. Facility policy for central venous catheter care stated that IV site care and dressing changes were required at established intervals or immediately if the dressing was damp, loosened, or visibly soiled, and that the external length of the catheter should be measured with each dressing change or if dislodgement was suspected. The policy also directed staff to check the State Nurse Practice Act regarding LPN scope of practice for central venous catheter dressing care. Resident 1, who was cognitively intact and had a PICC line for antibiotic administration, had a physician order requiring daily measurement of the external PICC length, but the eMAR showed no documentation of measurements on February 5, 11, 24, 25, and 26, 2026. Resident 30, who was cognitively intact and had a PICC line for antibiotic administration related to chronic multifocal osteomyelitis of the left ankle and foot, also had an order for daily external PICC length measurement, but the treatment record showed no documentation on March 14, 15, and 21, 2026. In addition, physician orders required PICC dressing and cap changes every seven days for Resident 30, and the treatment administration record showed no documentation that those changes were completed at the required intervals. The Regional Administrator of Clinical Operations stated the facility did not consistently monitor and maintain PICC lines in accordance with physician orders, facility policy, and professional standards of practice for Residents 1 and 30.
IV Site Not Properly Labeled or Monitored During Vancomycin Infusion
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure safe, appropriate administration and monitoring of IV fluids for one sampled resident who was receiving IV Vancomycin for ventilator-associated pneumonia. The resident had multiple sclerosis, respiratory failure, sepsis, and severely impaired cognition, and was dependent on staff for personal care. The order required Vancomycin 1 gram IV every 12 hours and daily and nightly monitoring of the peripheral IV site for signs of infection or infiltration. On observation, the resident was receiving Vancomycin through a left hand IV access, and the IV site dressing did not have the insertion date, time, or staff initials. The RN supervisor stated she had started the infusion about one hour earlier and, on reassessment, found the IV had infiltrated with redness and swelling. The DON stated staff must label the IV dressing with the insertion date, time, and initials, and that the IV site should be reassessed after initiation of IV medication. Facility policies also required labeling of the IV dressing and ongoing assessment for infiltration, phlebitis, infection, redness, swelling, pain, warmth, leakage, and other signs of IV complications.
Failure to Timely Administer Ordered IV Hydration
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to administer ordered IV hydration as prescribed for one resident. The resident had diagnoses including malignant neoplasm of the lungs and bones, neoplasm-related pain, and malnutrition, and required varying levels of assistance with activities of daily living, including partial/moderate assistance with eating and oral hygiene and dependence for toileting, showering, lower body dressing, and footwear. A physician’s order dated 4/10/2026 directed that the resident receive peripheral IV hydration with normal saline over four hours on 4/10/2026, 4/11/2026, and 4/12/2026. However, the IV hydration ordered for 4/10/2026 was not administered on that date. During record review and interview on 4/23/2026, an RN reported that when she began her 7 AM–3 PM shift on 4/11/2026, it had been endorsed to her that the IV hydration order from the previous night had not been carried out, and the resident did not have an IV line in place at the start of her shift. The RN initiated the peripheral IV line and IV hydration on 4/11/2026 at around 11 AM. The DON stated she was not aware that the IV hydration ordered for 4/10/2026 had not been administered until 4/11/2026 and noted that the IV hydration order was important because the resident had experienced hypotension on 4/9/2026. The facility’s IV policy indicated that when an IV order is received, pharmacy should be called or faxed with IV orders, and if fluids and medications are available from the emergency kit supply, infusion therapy should be initiated as ordered in a timely manner. This policy was not followed for the IV hydration ordered on 4/10/2026.
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