P5530

LPN Staffing Deficiency During Night Shift

Mulberry Healthcare And Rehabilitation CentPunxsutawney, Pennsylvania Survey Completed on 12-11-2024

Summary

The facility failed to meet the required staffing ratios for Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) during the night shift on three occasions between December 4 and December 10, 2024. Specifically, on December 4, the facility had a census of 45 residents, necessitating 1.13 LPNs, but only 0.25 LPNs were available. On December 8, with a census of 44 residents, 1.10 LPNs were required, yet only 1.00 LPN was present. Similarly, on December 10, the census was 42, requiring 1.05 LPNs, but only 1.00 LPN was on duty. The Director of Nursing confirmed these staffing deficiencies, and no additional higher-level staff were available to compensate for the shortfall.

Plan Of Correction

The facility attempts to schedule staff to meet the ratios per current state regulations. The facility offers shift bonuses to employees who pick up extra shifts or stay over in case of a call off. Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, and Nursing Administration all assist to fill in as supplemental staff. An active recruitment campaign is ongoing including sign on bonuses, shift differentials, and employee referral bonuses. Admissions are being limited and denied due to staffing challenges. Nursing Administration will continue to review staffing ratios daily and attempt to cover call off holes as needed. Day sheets will be reviewed daily x5 weekly x2 then biweekly ongoing with payroll review with reports to Quality Assurance.

Penalty

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
See other P5530 citations
Failure to Meet Minimum LPN Staffing Requirements on Day and Evening Shifts
P5530
Short Summary

Administrative staff did not ensure required LPN coverage on certain day and evening shifts, as shown by a comparison of nursing time schedules and census data. On one day shift, the number of LPN hours worked was below what was required for the number of residents present, and on one evening shift, LPN hours were again below the mandated minimum. The DON confirmed that minimum LPN staffing requirements were not met on these shifts.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Maintain Required LPN Day-Shift Staffing Ratios
P5530
Short Summary

Surveyors determined that the facility did not maintain the required minimum of one LPN per 25 residents on several day shifts during multiple reviewed weeks. Review of staffing records showed that on multiple identified days, the number of LPNs scheduled on day shift was insufficient for the resident census. In an interview, the NHA acknowledged that the required LPN staffing ratios were not met on those days.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Maintain Required LPN-to-Resident Staffing Ratios Across Multiple Shifts
P5530
Short Summary

Surveyors found that the facility did not maintain required LPN-to-resident staffing ratios on multiple day, evening, and night shifts. Review of census data and nursing schedules showed that the number of LPNs providing care on several day shifts was slightly below the minimum required based on the census, and at least one evening and one night shift were also understaffed. There were no additional higher-level staff available to offset these LPN shortfalls, and the Administrator confirmed that required LPN staffing ratios were not met on the identified shifts.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Maintain Required LPN-to-Resident Staffing Ratios on Multiple Shifts
P5530
Short Summary

The facility did not maintain the required LPN-to-resident staffing ratios on several shifts, as shown by a review of weekly staffing records and staff interviews. On four of twenty-one shifts reviewed, the number of LPNs on duty was below the mandated minimum based on the census, including day shifts where LPN coverage was slightly under the required level and a night shift with no LPN coverage at all. No additional higher-level nursing staff were present to offset these shortages, and the administrator acknowledged that required LPN-to-resident ratios were not met on the identified shifts.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Meet Minimum LPN Staffing Ratios
P5530
Short Summary

The facility did not meet the required minimum LPN-to-resident ratios on several day and evening shifts, as shown by a review of nursing schedules. On multiple occasions, there were not enough LPNs scheduled to meet the mandated ratios for the number of residents present.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Meet Minimum LPN Staffing Requirements
P5530
Short Summary

The facility did not provide the required minimum number of LPNs on several day and night shifts, as shown by a review of staffing schedules and census data. The Nursing Home Administrator confirmed that LPN staffing levels fell below regulatory requirements on these occasions.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.

Know what gets cited — and walk into your next survey with full visibility

We process and analyze inspection reports and Plans of Correction using AI to surface insights and trends — so you can improve care quality and stay ahead of compliance risk before your next survey.

Get ready for your next survey

See what surveyors are citing in your state and spot your risk areas before they do.

Monthly Citation Reports

Have you been cited for this tag?

Save hours drafting a compliant Plan of Correction — AI built on real approved POCs.

Plan of Correction Writer

Trusted data from CMS and state health departments

Every citation, penalty and Plan of Correction is sourced from public CMS records (latest release June 24, 2026) and official state health department websites — never guesswork.

Trusted by long-term care providers and associations.

Allegria Senior Living logo
FHCA logo
WeCare Centers logo
Care Rehab logo
An unhandled error has occurred. Reload 🗙