Failure to Maintain Safe Room Temperatures and Monitor Residents for Hypothermia
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to maintain resident room temperatures within the facility’s own policy range of 71–81°F and to monitor and assess residents for hypothermia when the heating system was not functioning properly. The facility’s Safe and Homelike Environment policy required provision of a safe, comfortable environment, and the Loss of Heating or Cooling policy required immediate actions to maintain temperatures between 71–81°F, including monitoring temperatures, increasing rounding, layering clothing, providing extra blankets and warm foods/fluids, and monitoring for signs of hypothermia with physician notification as needed. The Nursing Home Administrator (NHA) reported being aware that the heat was not working the prior week and that a heating company came on a Saturday to install a control board, later determining that an additional gas valve was needed. The NHA presented audits of only 5–6 random rooms per floor and did not have staff check all resident rooms or assess/interview residents to ensure their needs were being met. Observations on the third and fourth floors showed that the heating system was not working at full capability, with room temperatures ranging from 68°F to 81°F and some residents stating they were cold while others felt comfortable. Some windows were observed not fully closed, and some residents reported they had opened their windows. Although residents had extra blankets and clothing, all interviewed residents stated that no staff member had offered extra blankets or warm fluids. Subsequent facility-provided temperature audits documented that, during early-morning checks, the vast majority of rooms on both the third and fourth floors were below 71°F, with the lowest recorded temperatures at 63°F on the third floor and 58.6°F on the fourth floor. During a tour, surveyors noted that the third and fourth floors felt cold overall, and spot temperature checks with maintenance staff showed multiple rooms in the upper 60s to about 70°F. Multiple residents were observed in bed with three or four blankets, winter coats, or tassel caps, and several reported feeling cold, especially at night or when getting up. One resident stated her legs were cold and that her window had been cracked open the previous night; another said he had been cold and that it gets very cold at night; others reported that their rooms were cold or that they had been cold but were warm at the time due to multiple blankets. Few residents were seen in hallways, and those present were covered with blankets. A nurse stated that residents complained of being cold and that she had brought in two bags of blankets to keep them warm. Record review for selected residents showed that there were no physician orders to monitor for hypothermia or to monitor body temperatures in response to the environmental issue, despite the facility’s policy requiring monitoring for signs of hypothermia when heating is compromised. For one resident, the last documented temperature was from early in the month; for another, the last temperature was several days prior; and for a third, the last temperature was from the previous month. The NHA confirmed that the heaters were not working at 100%, that the facility had noticed the problem in the middle of the prior week, and that repairs were in progress. The NHA also confirmed that the facility failed to ensure comfortable air temperature levels between 71–81°F and failed to monitor and assess all residents for hypothermia, resulting in an Immediate Jeopardy situation for all 82 residents.
Removal Plan
- Complete heating system repair and continue ongoing monitoring of system performance.
- Conduct room temperature audits in every resident room every two hours until all resident rooms are at 71°F or higher, then once every four hours daily for seven days, weekly for three weeks, then monthly for three months.
- Include in temperature audits ensuring windows are closed and residents are offered plastic covering for windows.
- Evaluate all residents for signs and symptoms of hypothermia, including residents unable to independently express needs and residents with a temperature over the last three days and/or during whole house audit of 97.6°F or lower.
- Address any identified concerns immediately with individualized interventions and place orders for ongoing monitoring as needed.
- Document resident temperatures in the weights/vitals section of the electronic medical record and document hypothermia evaluation in progress notes.
- Conduct an audit of resident observations for cold intolerance, distress, or changes in condition related to temperature in every resident room every shift daily for seven days, weekly for three weeks, then monthly for three months.
- Ask interviewable residents about comfort level and offer interventions as needed.
- Evaluate non-interviewable residents for observable signs of discomfort related to temperature.
- Educate nursing staff (including agency) on signs and symptoms of hypothermia, risk factors, interventions to prevent hypothermia, comfort measures, and appropriate response when signs/symptoms are identified.
- Educate nursing assistants on non-clinical signs and symptoms of hypothermia and to alert a nurse if observed.
- Complete staff education; staff educated by phone/email to sign education prior to next working shift; reinforce education as needed.
- Provide additional blankets, layering, and environmental adjustments as needed.
- Offer room relocation as appropriate to maintain resident comfort.
- Implement a plan to utilize outside resources as necessary to maintain safe air temperatures during future weather events or mechanical issues, including an updated rental company in place.
- Review relevant policies and procedures related to environmental safety, resident monitoring, and emergency response.
- Update policies as indicated based on audit findings and QAPI review.
- Report audit findings, trends, and corrective actions to the QAPI committee; QAPI to evaluate effectiveness and recommend changes as needed.
- Apply plastic coverings to every resident room and hallway window in resident care areas to prevent drafts.
- Clarify/register controls after identifying some knobs on registers were turned off to prevent inadvertent turning off of heat.
- Have heating vendor send a technician back to ensure correct functionality and further explore the system for any additional needed corrections and complete repairs as soon as possible pending parts/resources.
- Install rental one-ton heating units and rent for at least one week.
- Order and install additional rental heating units.
- For rooms reading under 71°F with a laser thermometer, re-check using a room air thermometer and verify temperatures above 71°F.
- Order air thermometers for each room.
Penalty
Resources
Below are regulatory guidelines relevant to this citation:
Surveyors found that the facility failed to maintain a safe, clean, and homelike environment, with strong, persistent urine and feces odors noted throughout multiple halls and confirmed by staff. On two nursing units, hallways and resident rooms contained torn flooring, food debris, broken blinds, dirty and leaking toilets and sinks, rusted and corroded fixtures, missing outlet covers with oxygen concentrators plugged in, exposed light sockets, unmade and visibly soiled beds, and black, mold-like substances on walls and around toilet bases. Bathrooms had missing ceiling tiles, cracked door facings with brown stains, used briefs and torn toilet paper on floors, and toilets with brown or rust-like buildup. Outside, the patio and fencing area had broken and rotted railings, exposed rusted nails, fallen palm fronds, and overgrown vegetation, and the Administrator acknowledged the area was not safe for residents. Housekeeping and maintenance staff described daily cleaning and a work-order process, but the Maintenance Director reported being unaware of many of the observed issues, and the DON confirmed there was no specific environmental cleaning policy despite job descriptions and a general policy requiring a safe, sanitary, and comfortable environment.
A resident reported that bedroom hand sinks did not provide warm water, requiring handwashing with cold water and causing discomfort. Surveyors observed that in two rooms, the hot water remained cold despite running for several minutes, and thermometer readings at shared hand sinks showed temperatures in the 70°F range on the hot side, below the facility’s stated 100–110°F expectation. Further observation with the MD revealed that in one room the hot and cold valves were transposed, with hot water only available from the cold side. The MD, ADM, and DON each stated the MD was responsible for monitoring and maintaining water temperatures, but none were aware of recent issues, and the DON did not know the required temperature range. The facility’s maintenance request policy was requested twice but was not provided.
Inadequate Shower Function and Hot Water Temperatures: The facility failed to maintain a functioning shower in the Magnolia unit and failed to keep shower and room sink water temperatures within the expected range. A resident reported delayed showers and inconsistent warm water, while staff confirmed residents were using showers on another hall because the Magnolia shower was out of service and water pressure was poor. Observations and log review showed repeated low hot water readings in Magnolia rooms and showers, and the Wildflower shower also measured below the facility's temperature range.
Surveyors observed that the lab specimen refrigerator had brown stains on the door and bottom shelves and multiple small dead bugs on the door shelf, demonstrating that staff failed to maintain a clean environment in an area used for specimen storage. The Infection Prevention Nurse acknowledged the refrigerator was dirty.
The facility failed to maintain a clean, safe, and homelike environment in multiple resident rooms, shower rooms, and common areas. Surveyors observed shower rooms with broken and missing tiles, jagged holes, dark residue in grout, and hair and brown matter in drains. A resident’s dinner tray with food remained on the bed the next morning, and several rooms had wall damage, exposed metal bars near a commode, missing bathroom doors, and vents coated with thick gray buildup. The dining room and hall ceilings had cobwebs and dirty vents, and the kitchen ceiling, pipes, and vents were covered with thick, gray, fuzzy material. Staff, including the Maintenance Supervisor and Administrator, acknowledged that these areas should have been repaired or cleaned and that some surfaces were not included in the cleaning schedule.
A resident with dementia and behavioral disturbances consistently kept her TV volume excessively loud, to the point it could be heard from the nurse’s station and the end of the hallway, disturbing nearby residents who reported difficulty sleeping and ongoing disruption. Multiple residents stated that the loud TV had been a problem for some time, especially at night, and one reported needing headphones to block the noise. Staff, including an LPN and a CNA, confirmed frequent complaints, noted that the resident became verbally aggressive when asked to lower the volume, and reported that she insisted on keeping her door open and held the remote to prevent staff from adjusting the sound, despite a care plan indicating an agreed-upon lower volume level.
Widespread Odors and Environmental Disrepair in Resident Care Areas
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified that the facility failed to provide a safe, clean, comfortable, and homelike environment as required by 42 CFR 483.10(i). Upon entrance to the building on multiple days, surveyors noted a strong, pungent odor of urine and feces throughout the facility, with the odor particularly strong on the 200, 300, and 400 halls. Staff interviews confirmed that the building "usually smells like" urine, and staff attributed the odor to residents defecating and urinating on the floor, an old building structure, and cleaning products that sanitize but do not deodorize. Housekeeping staff reported that they clean resident rooms daily but that nursing staff must first clean fecal and urine waste before housekeeping can sanitize, and delays by nursing staff in doing so postponed housekeeping’s ability to address the odors. On the 300 unit, surveyors observed multiple environmental and sanitation issues in resident rooms and bathrooms. The hallway had torn flooring, food particles, and a butter knife on the floor. Individual rooms had food debris, a straw on the floor, and broken blinds. Bathrooms contained dark brown stains on walls, rusted ceiling tile trim, toilets with brownish substances inside, and wet floors around toilets. Trim was missing around toilet bases, exposing a black, mold-like substance. Corroded and rusted sink faucet handles, leaking faucets, rusted pipes under sinks with buildup of corrosion, and rusted sprinklers were observed. Some toilets and three-in-one commodes had duct tape on them, and bathroom walls had black, mold-like substances. Doors and door facings showed rust, scrape marks, chipped and peeling paint, and exposed wood. In some rooms, electrical outlets had no covers while oxygen concentrators were plugged into them, boards covered windows, light fixtures over beds lacked covers with sockets exposed, and one fixture had only one bulb. A resident bed appeared dirty with a black substance on it, and dresser drawers were broken with drawer fronts on the floor. On the 400 unit, surveyors again noted a strong odor of urine upon entry and found additional environmental deficiencies. Bathrooms had missing ceiling tiles, broken emergency light covers with no pull strings, and toilet tank covers that did not fit properly, exposing the inside of the tank. In one bathroom, torn toilet paper and used briefs were lying in the corner of the floor, and toilets had brown, rust-like substances inside the bowls. Door facings appeared cracked with brown substances along the sides, and toilets had brownish-black buildup around the bases with broken, peeling trim. Light bases on walls had rust-like appearances, multiple rooms had broken or missing blinds, and some outlets lacked covers while oxygen concentrators were plugged into them. Some rooms had unmade beds, exposed wires at outlets, toilets with dark brown-black rings around the base and flooring, uncovered light fixtures, leaking sinks with rusted pipes, loose flooring, loose toilet seats, and dry red substances on door frames. Surveyors also observed deficiencies in the outdoor patio area adjacent to the locked unit. The gate code was broken, and a resident lock was placed on the gate. The patio and surrounding fencing had fallen palm fronds on the grass, broken and rotted wooden fence railings, unsteady railings, and multiple exposed rusted nails protruding from the railings where boards were broken or detached. Overgrown trees and bushes from the perimeter extended through the fence railings. When asked, the Administrator acknowledged that the area was not safe for residents and stated that they planned to have it redone in the future. The Maintenance Director reported that he and one other maintenance person relied on work orders and verbal reports to identify needed repairs and stated he was not aware of the specific room and equipment issues on the 300 and 400 units. Housekeeping staff stated they would report broken items via a work order book or text to maintenance, but one housekeeper, who cleaned the 400 unit daily, denied noticing stains or biohazard-like materials on walls and door frames despite the surveyors’ observations. Review of facility documents showed that the housekeeper job description required staff to maintain assigned work areas in a clean, safe, comfortable, and attractive manner and to report maintenance problems noted during cleaning. A facility policy titled "Policies and Practices - Control" stated that the facility must maintain a safe, sanitary, and comfortable environment for personnel, residents, visitors, and the public. The DON stated that blinds had been changed out and new cabinets and door handles purchased, and that staff were directed to use standard precautions when cleaning rooms, but also stated there was no policy specific to cleaning the environment. These observations and interviews demonstrated that the facility did not maintain sanitary, orderly, and comfortable interior conditions, did not adequately control offensive odors, and did not ensure that the physical environment, including resident rooms, bathrooms, and outdoor areas, was maintained in a safe, clean, and homelike condition as required by regulation.
Failure to Maintain Adequate Hot Water Temperatures at Resident Hand Sinks
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to ensure residents had access to safe, functional, sanitary, and comfortable handwashing facilities in their rooms. A resident reported that there was no warm water in the hand sinks in residents’ bedrooms and that they often had to wash their hands with cold water, which made their hands feel cold. The resident also stated they felt the facility did not take the cold water issues seriously and expressed a desire to have warm water available to wash their hands and face. Surveyor observations confirmed that the hot water in two resident rooms remained cold even after running the water for several minutes. Subsequent temperature checks with a thermometer at the shared hand sinks in these rooms showed water temperatures of 73.6°F and 70.5°F on the hot water side, which were below the facility’s stated expected range of 100–110°F for resident room sinks. During a later observation with the Maintenance Director (MD), the hot water at one shared hand sink again measured 70°F on the hot side, and when the cold side was turned on, the water became warm, with a measured temperature of 100°F, indicating the hot and cold valves had been transposed after a plumbing repair. In interviews, the MD stated he was responsible for ensuring adequate water temperatures and that he conducted weekly spot checks of shared hand sinks, maintaining temperature logs, but he was not aware of any recent issues or reports regarding water temperatures. The Administrator (ADM) confirmed that the MD was responsible for water temperatures and that the expected range was 100–110°F, and acknowledged that a recent toilet repair in one of the rooms could have resulted in the hot and cold valves being transposed. The DON stated the MD was responsible for regular water temperature checks and repairs, was not aware of any concerns about hot water temperatures, and was unsure of the required temperature range. When the facility’s maintenance request policy was requested from the ADM on two occasions, it was not provided.
Inadequate Shower Function and Hot Water Temperatures
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide a safe, clean, comfortable, and homelike environment for residents, staff, and the public by not maintaining functioning showers and adequate hot water temperatures in resident rooms and shower areas. The deficiency involved 2 of 3 showers, identified as Magnolia and Wildflower, and 2 of 12 rooms. The Magnolia shower had been out of order for approximately 4 months, with an undated sign on the shower door stating, "DO NOT USE." During observation, the Magnolia shower had inconsistent water pressure and the handheld shower head only trickled water. Staff interviews confirmed the shower had been out of service since at least February 2026 and that residents were being directed to use another unit's shower instead. Resident and staff interviews described ongoing problems with shower access and water temperature. A resident stated the Magnolia shower had not been working for a while, showers were sometimes delayed, and the water was not always warm because other residents had used the same shower. CNA and LVN interviews confirmed residents on Magnolia were using showers on another hall and that hot water had been an issue throughout the facility. The DON stated the importance of hot water and a functioning shower was for residents to be comfortable, clean, and to decrease infection risk. The ADM stated the hot water concerns had started the prior week and that the facility had approved repair of the tankless water heater. Record review showed repeated water temperature readings below the facility's stated range for resident rooms and shower areas. In Magnolia unit rooms, documented hot water temperatures included readings such as 93.6 F, 92.4 F, 86.2 F, 83.4 F, 89.6 F, 83.7 F, and 90.3 F. In the Magnolia shower, documented temperatures included 95.1 F, 99.6 F, 93.8 F, 95.4 F, and 93.7 F, and later observation showed 70.4 F. In the Wildflower shower, observation showed 95.3 F. A confidential resident council interview included 9 residents stating the water did not get hot enough during showers. Facility policy stated water heaters serving resident rooms, bathrooms, common areas, and tub/shower areas were to be set to no more than 110-115 F or the maximum allowable temperature per state regulation, and maintenance staff were responsible for checking and recording water temperatures.
Unclean Lab Specimen Refrigerator Compromises Environmental Cleanliness
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified a deficiency related to the resident’s right to a safe, clean, comfortable, and homelike environment when the lab specimen refrigerator was found to be unclean. During an observation of the refrigerator, brown stains were noted on the door shelf and bottom shelf, and multiple small dead bugs were present on the door shelf. In a subsequent interview, the Infection Prevention Nurse acknowledged that the lab specimen refrigerator was dirty. These conditions demonstrated that the facility failed to maintain a clean environment in the area where lab specimens are stored.
Failure to Maintain Clean, Safe, and Homelike Environment Throughout Facility
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to provide a safe, clean, comfortable, and homelike environment as required by its Safe, Homelike Environment policy dated October 2007. Surveyors observed multiple shower rooms with cleanliness and maintenance issues, including black hair and dark residue in shower drains, broken and missing tiles with jagged-edged holes, cracks in tiles, dark residue in grout, and small round holes in shower stall walls. In one resident room, a prior night’s dinner tray with dishes and a full bowl of vegetables was left sitting on the resident’s bed the following morning. Additional observations included missing floor tiles and dark black residue debris between shower floor tiles in another shower room, and a shower drain with brown formed matter and dark strands of hair in a different hall’s shower room. Surveyors also observed disrepair and unclean conditions in resident rooms and common areas. One bathroom had two metal bars sticking out of the wall near the commode, a bathroom door with a missing 3 x 2 inch piece of wood by the hinges, and a vent with a thick gray substance. Another room had a hole on the outside of the bathroom door, and a separate room had two large holes in the wall and no bathroom door; the resident in that room stated the holes and lack of bathroom door had been present since moving in. In the dining room, vents and ceiling areas had thick gray substances and long cobwebs, and vents on the east hall ceiling also had a gray substance. In the kitchen, the ceiling, pipes, and vents were observed with a thick, gray, fuzzy substance. The Maintenance Supervisor and Administrator acknowledged that tiles, vents, doors, and other areas should have been repaired or cleaned and that certain areas were not included in existing cleaning schedules.
Failure to Control Excessive TV Noise Affecting Nearby Residents
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to maintain environmental noise at a comfortable level for multiple residents due to one resident’s excessively loud television. Surveyors observed that one resident’s TV volume was so loud it could be heard from the nurse’s station and from the end of the hallway, even with other residents’ doors closed. A sign on this resident’s door stated “Do Not Shut Door,” and staff reported that the resident liked the TV volume loud and was non-compliant with requests to lower it. Nursing notes documented that when asked to reduce the TV volume, the resident became verbally aggressive toward staff. The resident’s diagnoses included unspecified dementia with behavioral disturbance, adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, hemiplegia and hemiparesis following cerebral infarction, and restlessness and agitation. Other residents on the same hall reported ongoing disruption from the loud TV, particularly at night when they were trying to sleep. One resident across the hall stated that the loud TV had been an issue for a while and affected other residents on the hall. Another resident one room away reported that the neighbor’s TV was really loud all day and especially at night, that staff were asked to intervene, and that the resident with the loud TV would briefly turn it down and then increase the volume again; this resident reported needing to use headphones to cancel out the noise. Staff, including an LPN and a CNA, confirmed that residents complained they could not sleep due to the loud TV, that the resident with the TV became upset and verbally aggressive when asked to turn it down, and that the TV volume could be heard from the end of the hallway. The care plan for the resident with the loud TV identified a problem of turning the volume up excessively, with an agreed target volume level of 40 and instructions for staff to remind the resident of this agreed volume.
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