A resident with ESRD and dependence on hemodialysis did not receive post-dialysis care according to physician orders, the care plan, and facility policy. The post-dialysis pressure dressing on the AV fistula was not documented as removed within the ordered timeframe, despite dialysis center instructions specifying timely removal. Although an LN later reported that the access site was bleeding and a dressing change was performed, the TAR documented the site as clear and nursing notes did not reflect any dressing change. Required shift assessments of the fistula site for bleeding, redness, and tenderness were not accurately documented, and there was no evidence that the physician was notified of the bleeding access site, contrary to facility policy and referenced CDC dialysis safety standards.
A resident’s care plan was not revised to reflect a new PTSD diagnosis. The MDS listed chronic PTSD as an active diagnosis, but LTC care conference notes did not discuss it and the care plan had no related problem, outcomes, or interventions. The resident reported that loud noises triggered war-related memories, and the DON stated she was unaware of the resident’s specific PTSD triggers and confirmed the diagnosis should have been incorporated into the care plan.
Missed Mealtime Insulin Administration: A resident with DM, mild dementia, and anemia missed 74 ordered mealtime sliding scale insulin doses because staff documented the doses as not given due to the resident being asleep or due to nursing judgment. A nurse stated the facility would hold meds when the resident was sleeping and referenced an order that could not be produced in the EHR. The MAR and BG records showed repeated elevated BG readings during missed insulin opportunities, and the facility policy identified mealtime insulin as time-critical medication.
A facility used a decolonization protocol involving CHG soap substitution and mupirocin nasal swabs for multiple residents, but the MD stated residents and/or their representatives were not notified and the protocol was not discussed in care conferences. The DON found no documentation of notification, and the Administrator confirmed the planned resident council, ombudsman notice, and admission packet letter were not implemented. The facility’s rights documents stated residents have the right to information about treatments, risks, side effects, and to refuse proposed care.
The facility failed to provide accurate grievance officer contact information and clear instructions for submitting grievances. Posted notices identified a former Grievance Officer, while the admission agreement and grievance form did not explain how or where to submit a completed grievance. Residents stated they did not know who the GO was or how to formally file a complaint, and complaints were often handled informally through staff or the DON.
Food items were found unlabeled, improperly dated, and in some cases expired or without expiration information in the meal prep refrigerator, walk-in freezer, dry storage, and Wing B kitchen. Surveyors also observed tightly stacked boxes stored too close to the ceiling and sprinkler heads in the freezer and refrigerator areas. The KM stated labeling, dating, and storage expectations were taught mainly by verbal instruction and demonstration, and the Dietitian reported inconsistencies in labeling, training, and monitoring.
Failure to Monitor Decolonization Program in QAPI: The facility used a decolonization protocol involving CHG bathing and mupirocin nasal ointment for multiple residents, but there was no evidence that the program was tracked, trended, or monitored through QAPI. The MD said the protocol was a performance improvement initiative and that he was tracking it, but it was not reported in QAPI meetings, the IP was not actively involved in monitoring it, and QAPI minutes did not discuss the program.
Failure to Provide Individualized Resident Activities: Two residents with diagnoses including CHF, hemiparesis, dementia, OA, and a coccyx pressure ulcer had activity plans calling for regular group and individual programming based on their stated interests, but survey findings showed the posted calendar did not match the documentation, residents were mostly observed in their rooms, and one resident reported only bingo and little else. Residents and the resident council described limited, repetitive programming, while staff said CareTracker did not accurately reflect actual participation and the AD was overseeing the program remotely with limited on-site oversight.
The facility failed to obtain and document informed consent for psychotropic medications before administration for multiple residents with dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and related behavioral and psychotic disturbances. In several cases, residents had OPA guardians or other representatives as medical decision-makers, yet there was no evidence that risks, benefits, alternatives, or treatment options for medications such as divalproex, valproic acid, olanzapine, quetiapine, pimavanserin, and antidepressants were discussed or that representatives were given an opportunity to choose among options. For one resident, consent for quetiapine was signed after the first dose had already been given. Staff interviews showed confusion about who was responsible for obtaining informed consent, when it should occur, and which medications required it, and leadership acknowledged that consents obtained via email were not consistently placed in the medical record and that consent audits were irregular, despite facility policies and resident rights documents requiring that residents or representatives be advised of psychotropic risks and benefits and that this be documented.
The facility failed to maintain sufficient RN, LPN, and CNA staffing levels as defined in its own facility assessment, particularly on weekends, and frequently relied on float staff to cover cottages without regularly assigned nurses. Staff and a resident reported that only one nurse and one CNA sometimes covered an entire cottage, that CNAs from other cottages had to pick up assignments when someone called in, and that staff shortages caused rushing and concerns about care. One resident with quadriplegia, fully dependent for bathing and preferring showers, missed multiple scheduled showers over several weeks and instead received bed baths or no documented hygiene care, and reported long call-light response times and staff declining small assistance due to being too busy. Another resident with multiple sclerosis and functional quadriplegia, dependent on staff and an overhead lift for transfers, was not consistently gotten out of bed on the days specified in their care plan and grievance resolution, and reported that requests to get up were often denied or deferred because staff said they were shorthanded.
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