Massachusetts Veterans Home At Holyoke
Inspection history, citations, penalties and survey trends for this long-term care facility in Holyoke, Massachusetts.
- Location
- 110 Cherry Street, Holyoke, Massachusetts 01040
- CMS Provider Number
- 225786
- Inspections on file
- 3
- Latest survey
- March 11, 2025
- Citations (last 12 mo.)
- 0
Citation history
Health deficiencies cited at Massachusetts Veterans Home At Holyoke during CMS and state inspections, most recent first.
The facility did not ensure that residents and their representatives were informed about how to file grievances, and grievance forms were not readily accessible or clearly labeled on most units. Multiple residents reported being unaware of the formal grievance process, and staff interviews confirmed that forms were often unavailable or not visible. The Ombudsman also noted a lack of follow-up after grievances were filed.
Activities Assistants were observed assisting residents with feeding after completing a training program that had not been approved by the State of Massachusetts. The DON and Activities Director confirmed that the program was not state-approved and that Activities Staff were assigned to assist with feeding by CNAs or nurses, with uncertainty about licensed nurse supervision during meals.
Multiple residents requiring total assistance with feeding were not provided meals or meal assistance in a timely manner, were left with covered trays for extended periods, and were assisted by staff who stood rather than sat, detracting from a dignified dining experience. Meals were served on trays with disposable cups, and staff reported insufficient staffing to meet residents' needs.
Two residents did not receive care according to professional standards: one continued to receive a discontinued wound treatment without a physician's order and had a topical medication applied without a specified location, while another did not receive the required Glucagon injection during a hypoglycemic event, despite clear physician orders and facility protocol.
A resident with significant weight loss and multiple chronic conditions was not consistently offered a prescribed nutritional supplement (Glucerna) when meal intake was 50% or less, as ordered by the physician. Review of records and staff interviews revealed that the supplement was only documented as offered a few times despite numerous qualifying occasions, with incomplete documentation and inconsistent staff awareness contributing to the deficiency. Direct observation confirmed the supplement was not provided after a missed meal, and both the dietician and DON acknowledged challenges in tracking and ensuring compliance with the order.
A resident with a recent history of C. diff infection developed new symptoms of diarrhea after precautions had been discontinued. Contact Precautions were not immediately re-implemented despite the recurrence of symptoms, resulting in a delay before appropriate infection control measures were restored, contrary to facility policy and CDC guidelines.
Failure to Provide Accessible Grievance Process and Forms
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that residents and their representatives were informed about the grievance process and that grievance forms were readily accessible on eight out of ten units. According to the facility's own grievance policy, forms should be easily accessible on all units, and residents, families, and representatives should receive education and written notification about their right to file grievances. However, observations revealed that grievance forms were missing, inaccessible, or not clearly labeled on most units. In some cases, forms were mixed with unrelated materials or placed in locations that were difficult for residents to access, such as behind a resident in a wheelchair or curled up in a file bin. Interviews with residents during a Resident Council meeting indicated that several residents were unaware of how to file a grievance or that a formal process existed. Some residents reported incidents that they felt warranted a grievance but did not know how to proceed. When asked, residents stated they could verbally tell someone about a complaint but did not know they had the right to a formal written process. Staff interviews confirmed that grievance forms were not always made available due to concerns about residents taking them, and that information about the process was not clearly posted or explained. The Ombudsman reported that residents had voiced concerns about the lack of response from the facility after filing grievances, with no follow-up or explanation provided regarding actions taken. Staff acknowledged that the forms should be available and that residents and families needed education on the process. The lack of accessible forms and insufficient education about the grievance process led to residents being uninformed about their rights and unable to formally voice their concerns as outlined in facility policy.
Unapproved Training Program Used for Paid Feeding Assistants
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that individuals utilized as paid feeding assistants completed a State-approved training program, as required. During meal observations, Activities Assistants were seen assisting residents with feeding in the dining rooms of two units. Although the Director of Nursing (DON) stated that all Activities Staff had been trained to feed residents, it was later revealed that the training program used by the facility had not been submitted to the State of Massachusetts for approval. The DON was unsure if the program met state requirements and confirmed that an application for approval was only being completed after the surveyor's inquiry. Further interviews indicated that Activities Staff were assigned to assist with feeding by CNAs or nurses, and were instructed not to assist residents with swallowing difficulties. The Activities Director confirmed that all Activities Staff, including herself, had completed the facility's paid feeding assistant training, but could not confirm if a licensed nurse was always present during meals, only that a CNA was always available. The deficiency centers on the use of unapproved training for paid feeding assistants and the lack of assurance that state requirements for such training and supervision were met.
Failure to Provide Dignified and Timely Dining Experience
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed multiple deficiencies related to the dining experience and resident dignity across three units. Residents who required total assistance with feeding, including those with Alzheimer's Disease and severe cognitive impairment, were not provided their meals or meal assistance in a timely manner. On several occasions, residents were left seated at tables without meals while others around them were eating or being assisted, leading to visible signs of distress such as fidgeting, reaching for others' trays, and making vocal sounds. In some cases, staff began assisting a resident with a meal but did not complete the assistance, leaving the resident with a covered tray in front of them for extended periods. Meals were consistently served on trays in a cafeteria-style manner, and disposable cups were used for drinks during communal dining. Staff interviews confirmed that this was the standard practice across all units, and that the use of disposable cups and meal trays was institutional in nature. There was no policy in place regarding the dining experience, and the nursing staff were responsible for overseeing communal dining. Staff also reported that there was often insufficient staffing to provide timely and appropriate meal assistance, particularly for residents with higher acuity and total assistance needs. Additionally, staff were observed standing while assisting residents with eating, even when chairs were available, which required residents to turn and tilt their heads to interact with staff. In some instances, food was placed out of the resident's view, further detracting from a dignified and person-centered dining experience. These actions and inactions resulted in a failure to honor residents' rights to a dignified existence, self-determination, and communication during meals.
Failure to Follow Physician Orders and Protocols for Wound and Hypoglycemia Care
Penalty
Summary
Facility staff failed to provide care and services according to professional standards of practice for two residents. For one resident with Type Two Diabetes Mellitus and Alzheimer's Disease, a fluid-filled blister was observed on the right heel. The facility's policy required a physician's order for wound treatments and clear documentation of treatment locations. However, staff continued to apply Skin Prep to the resident's right heel after the physician's order for this treatment had been discontinued. Additionally, Ammonium Lactate 12% was applied without specifying the body location in the physician's order, and this lack of clarification was acknowledged by the Director of Nursing and the Wound Nurse. For another resident with diabetes mellitus who was cognitively intact and dependent on insulin, the facility failed to follow the hypoglycemic protocol and physician's orders during a hypoglycemic event. When the resident's fingerstick blood sugar was recorded as less than 39 mg/dL and the resident was confused, staff administered oral dextrose, which was only indicated for blood sugar between 50-70 mg/dL. The required administration of 1 mg Glucagon HCL by injection, as specified in both the hypoglycemic protocol and the physician's order for blood sugar below 50 mg/dL, was not performed. Interviews with nursing staff, the DON, and the physician confirmed that the facility's protocols and physician's orders were not followed in both cases. The DON and Wound Nurse acknowledged that treatments were provided without current physician orders or without proper clarification of treatment locations. The physician confirmed that the resident experiencing severe hypoglycemia should have received Glucagon HCL as ordered.
Failure to Consistently Provide Ordered Nutritional Supplement for Resident with Weight Loss
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that a therapeutic dietary supplement, Glucerna, was consistently offered to a resident with significant weight loss and multiple medical conditions, as ordered by the physician. The physician's order specified that Glucerna should be provided if the resident consumed 50% or less of their meal, with the care plan and nutrition assessments reinforcing this protocol. However, review of meal intake logs, medication administration records, and nursing progress notes revealed that the supplement was not offered on the majority of occasions when the resident's intake was below the threshold, with documentation missing or incomplete for most instances. The resident, who had diagnoses including hypertensive heart disease with heart failure, dysphagia, type 1 diabetes, and chronic kidney disease, experienced significant weight loss over a six-month period. Despite the care plan's directive to monitor intake and provide supplements as prescribed, records showed that out of numerous meals where intake was 50% or less, the supplement was only documented as offered a handful of times. Staff interviews confirmed inconsistent offering and documentation of the supplement, with some staff unaware of the requirement or relying on incomplete records to determine when to provide Glucerna. Direct observations by the surveyor further confirmed that the resident was not offered the supplement after not consuming a meal, and staff interviews revealed confusion about the protocol and lack of awareness of the resident's actual intake. The dietician and DON acknowledged the importance of documentation and adherence to the physician's order, but also noted the difficulty in tracking whether the supplement was offered due to poor record-keeping. The deficiency was substantiated by both documentation review and direct observation, showing a failure to implement the prescribed nutritional intervention for the resident.
Failure to Timely Implement Contact Precautions for C. diff Symptoms
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to implement transmission-based precautions (TBPs) in a timely manner for a resident who had a recent history of Clostridium difficile (C. diff) infection. The resident was initially placed on Enteric Contact Precautions after experiencing diarrhea and testing positive for C. diff. These precautions were discontinued after the resident's last loose bowel movement, as documented in the nursing progress notes. Eight days after the discontinuation of precautions, the resident began experiencing symptoms of diarrhea again, including multiple episodes of loose, foul-smelling stools with mucus. Despite these symptoms, Contact Precautions were not immediately re-implemented. Nursing notes indicate that the supervisor and on-call physician were notified, and a new order for Vancomycin was obtained, but Enteric Contact Precautions were only reinstated after a delay. The facility's policies and CDC guidelines require immediate implementation of Contact Precautions for residents exhibiting symptoms of infectious diarrhea, including C. diff. The Infection Preventionist confirmed that staff are educated to initiate precautions as soon as symptoms appear and that precautions should remain in place until infectious diarrhea or C. diff is ruled out. The delay in re-implementing precautions for the symptomatic resident constituted a failure to follow established infection control protocols.
Latest citations in Massachusetts
A resident with hemiplegia, severe cognitive impairment, and dependence on staff for transfers had an ADL care plan requiring a two-person stand-pivot assist for all transfers. Despite this, a CNA transferred the resident alone from wheelchair to bed, stating he did not feel a second staff member was needed, even though the Kardex indicated a two-person assist. Around the same time, nursing staff were called to assess bruising on the resident’s upper arm. The facility was unable to produce the Kardex in effect at the time of the incident, and the administrator later acknowledged that CNA Kardexes were not automatically updated when changes were made to the plan of care, creating inconsistency between the documented care plan and the guidance available to CNAs.
The facility failed to ensure comprehensive care plans were reviewed and revised after completion of required MDS assessments for two residents. For one resident, a quarterly MDS was completed, but the care plan meeting and updates occurred before the MDS, and goal dates did not reflect a post-assessment review despite multiple identified issues including cognitive loss, incontinence, mood alterations, skin breakdown risk, and falls risk. For another resident, an annual MDS was completed after the care plan meeting, which had already been documented as updated for multiple conditions such as cognitive loss, hearing deficits, incontinence, behavioral history, nutrition risk, and skin breakdown risk, with goal dates set on the meeting date. The MDS coordinator confirmed that care plan meetings should not occur before MDS completion and that goal dates should have been extended but were not.
A resident with dementia and severe cognitive impairment, fully dependent on staff for care, was found with new bruising on the left forearm. When asked, the resident stated that staff had been rough but would not identify who was involved. The Activity Director reported this to the Unit Manager and ADON, who assessed the resident and speculated the bruising might be from wheelchair self-propulsion, despite the resident having self-propelled for a long time without similar bruising. The DON, ADON, and Unit Manager treated the incident as an injury of unknown origin rather than an abuse allegation, and the internal investigation did not include staff or resident interviews, written witness statements specific to rough care, or efforts to identify any involved staff, contrary to facility policy requiring thorough investigation of all alleged violations.
A resident with moderate cognitive impairment, elopement risk, and a need for supervised ambulation was scheduled for a hospital appointment with an assigned CNA escort. On the day of the appointment, the transport company departed with the resident before the CNA arrived, and an agency nurse unfamiliar with escort procedures allowed the resident to leave unaccompanied. Another nurse recognized the need for an escort and attempted to send the CNA, but the resident had already left. The resident did not present to the scheduled clinic, instead walked to a police station, reported being lost, and was transported by EMS to the hospital ED, while facility leadership later acknowledged the resident should not have left without an escort and that administration was not notified immediately.
A resident with dementia, osteoporosis, CKD, HTN, and a history of falls lost balance while standing in the bathroom and was lowered to the floor by a CNA. An RN assessed the resident, noted stable VS and no initial pain, and assisted the resident back to bed but did not notify the provider or the health care agent, despite facility policy requiring immediate notification after accidents with potential need for physician intervention. Over the next days, the resident was noted as not feeling well and later complained of hip pain, leading to an x-ray that showed an acute intertrochanteric hip fracture. Record review and interviews confirmed there was no documentation that the provider or resident representative were notified at the time of the assisted fall.
A resident with dysphagia, a history of aspiration pneumonia, and NPO orders with all medications to be given via PEG tube received a levothyroxine tablet orally from an RN, who elevated the bed, placed the pill in the resident’s mouth, and gave a sip of water, causing the resident to cough. Later, another nurse found blue medication residue around the resident’s mouth and a cup of water at the bedside, despite documentation and assignment sheets clearly indicating NPO and PEG-only administration. Review of orders and the MAR confirmed that the RN had administered the blue levothyroxine tablet orally in error, constituting a significant medication error.
A resident with COPD, CHF, CVA, non-ambulatory status, incontinence, and dependence on staff for bed mobility was being provided incontinent care on an air mattress by a single CNA, despite the care plan and nursing assessment indicating the need for two-person assistance. The CNA pulled the resident toward her and then rolled the resident onto the opposite side so the resident could use the side rail, but the resident’s heavy, weak legs slipped and the resident fell from the bed to the floor. Nursing staff and the DON confirmed that the resident required two-person assist for bed mobility and that residents should be rolled toward, not away from, staff; the resident was subsequently diagnosed with bilateral displaced distal femur fractures with lipohemarthrosis.
The facility failed to ensure complete and accurate CNA documentation of ADLs for a resident with COPD, CHF, and a history of CVA. Despite a policy requiring all services to be fully documented, CNA flow sheets for one month contained numerous blanks for bathing, dressing, continence care, personal hygiene, preventative skin care, turning/repositioning, and eating/amount eaten across multiple shifts and meals. A CNA reported that care is supposed to be charted during or by the end of each shift, and the DON confirmed that all care must be documented and that blanks on the flow sheets should not occur.
A resident with COPD, CHF, osteoarthritis, and a history of CVA had an ADL care plan that documented dependence or need for assistance with mobility, bed/chair mobility, bathing, dressing, personal hygiene, toileting, and transfers, but the plan did not consistently specify the number of staff required to safely provide this assistance. Although one intervention was updated to indicate two-person assistance for personal hygiene, other ADL interventions only stated "assist/dependent" without clarifying staff numbers. A CNA reported providing care and changing bed linens alone, while the DON stated that total dependence for bed mobility should mean two-person assistance and that CNAs should not determine assistance levels, highlighting that the care plan lacked clear, individualized direction on required staff assistance.
A resident with dementia and behavioral disturbances, who ambulated independently and was required by the care plan to remain in the facility unless supervised, eloped from a secured unit after asking staff how to leave. Staff had observed the resident wandering and inquiring about leaving but had not initiated an elopement risk assessment or related care plan interventions. The resident was last seen at the nurse station, later found missing during clinical rounds, and ultimately located off-site at a former home address. Exit and rear doors were alarmed and code-protected, but staff had shared alarm and elevator codes with visitors, and it was presumed the resident exited by using the elevator with a visitor.
Failure to Follow Care Plan Transfer Requirements for Dependent Resident
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to ensure staff consistently implemented and followed a resident’s care plan interventions for transfers. The resident had diagnoses including hemiplegia and hemiparesis following a cerebral infarction affecting the right dominant side, repeated falls, and abnormal posture. A quarterly MDS assessment documented severe cognitive impairment and dependence on staff for transfers from chair to bed. The resident’s ADL care plan, initiated on 12/14/24 with an estimated goal date of 02/27/26, specified a two-person stand-pivot assist for all transfers. The facility’s policy stated that CNAs are to use the ADL Kardex as a complete and updated reference for resident care needs, and that Kardexes are to be reviewed and updated at care plan meetings. On 04/20/26 at about 9:30 P.M., CNA #7 transferred the resident alone from wheelchair to bed, despite acknowledging that the Kardex indicated a two-person assist was required. CNA #7 reported standing the resident, using a walker to pivot, and seating the resident on the bed without incident, and stated he did not obtain a second staff member because he did not feel it was needed. Around the same time, Nurse #2 was called to the resident’s room and observed ecchymosis on the resident’s right upper arm, though she did not know whether the transfer had been done with one or two staff. At the time of survey, the facility could not produce the Kardex in effect on 04/20/26, and the administrator later acknowledged that the CNA Kardexes were not automatically updated when changes were made to the plan of care, resulting in a discrepancy between the resident’s updated plan of care and the information available to CNAs.
Failure to Review and Revise Care Plans After Completion of MDS Assessments
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to review and revise comprehensive care plans within seven days of completion of the comprehensive MDS assessment, as required by facility policy and federal regulations. The facility’s Care Plan Policy states that the interdisciplinary team must develop and maintain a comprehensive care plan for each resident within seven days of the completion of the comprehensive MDS, and that care plans must be reviewed and updated with significant changes, unmet outcomes, readmissions, and at least quarterly. For one resident, the quarterly MDS had an Assessment Reference Date (ARD) of 03/11/26, but the care plan meeting occurred on 02/19/26, prior to completion of the MDS, and was documented as updated. This resident’s comprehensive care plan contained multiple problem areas such as cognitive loss and risk of decline in communication, vision impairment, bladder and bowel incontinence, mood alterations, mechanically altered diet, skin breakdown, psychotropic medication use, alterations in ADLs, hearing impairment, and risk of falls, with goal estimated dates listed as 02/27/26, which did not reflect a review and revision following the completed MDS. For a second resident, the annual MDS had an ARD of 03/27/26, but the care plan meeting took place on 03/19/26, again prior to completion of the MDS, and the care plans were marked as updated. This resident’s comprehensive care plan included problem areas such as cognitive loss and risk of decline in communication, hearing deficits, bladder and bowel incontinence, long-term placement, alterations in mood state, history of behaviors, risk for falls, risk for nutrition problems, risk for skin breakdown, and alterations in ADLs, with goal estimated dates listed as 03/19/26. During a telephone interview, the MDS Coordinator acknowledged that care plan meetings should not occur before MDS completion, explained that care plans are reviewed for accuracy, appropriateness of interventions, and realistic goals, and stated that the estimated goal dates for both residents should have been set approximately 90 days from the care plan meeting date but were not.
Failure to Investigate Resident’s Allegation of Rough Care and Unexplained Bruising as Potential Abuse
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to respond appropriately to an allegation of rough handling and associated bruising in a resident with severe cognitive impairment. The resident, admitted in December 2022 with diagnoses including dementia, depression, and anxiety, was dependent on staff for care. A Quarterly MDS dated 03/19/26 documented severe cognitive impairment. On 04/07/26, a skin assessment identified new bruising on the resident’s left inner and outer forearm. The facility submitted a report through the Health Care Facility Reporting System noting small bruises on the resident’s left forearm and completed an internal investigation that characterized the bruising as an injury of unknown origin, suggesting it might have been caused by wheelchair self-propulsion. According to the Activity Director’s written statement and interview, during lunch on 04/07/26 she observed bruises on the resident’s left forearm and asked how they occurred. The resident responded that “they were rough with me” and stated not wanting to get anyone in trouble, and would not identify which staff member was involved. The Activity Director immediately informed the Unit Manager and the ADON. The Unit Manager confirmed that she was told the resident had said someone had been rough with care and that she and the ADON assessed the resident. The Unit Manager reported that the resident was unable to tell them what happened, and although they considered self-propulsion of the wheelchair as a possible cause, she acknowledged the resident had been self-propelling for a long time without similar bruising. The ADON acknowledged that on 04/07/26 she was aware the resident had alleged staff had been rough with care and that rough handling could have caused the bruising. The DON stated she was notified of the new bruising and, together with the ADON and Unit Manager, concluded the bruises were from self-propulsion, and she did not investigate the matter as an allegation of abuse by staff. The facility’s internal investigation contained no documentation that staff were interviewed or asked for written statements specific to the allegation of rough care, and no efforts were documented to identify an accused staff member or to interview other residents on the unit. The Administrator later stated she had not been informed of the resident’s allegation of rough care at the time and that the incident had been handled only as an injury of unknown origin rather than as an abuse allegation, resulting in the absence of a thorough abuse investigation as required by the facility’s policy on incident and reportable event management.
Resident at Elopement Risk Sent to Hospital Without Required Escort and Later Found Wandering
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to provide adequate supervision and prevent accidents for a resident assessed as being at increased risk for elopement, with moderate cognitive impairment and a legal guardian in place. The resident’s MDS documented a need for supervision with ambulation, and an elopement care plan identified elopement risk with a Wandergard bracelet initiated. Despite these assessments and care plans, the resident was scheduled for an out‑patient hospital appointment that required an escort, and a CNA was assigned as the escort on the facility’s appointment calendar. On the day of the incident, a transportation company arrived to take the resident to the hospital appointment. The resident was transported from the facility without the assigned escort, as the transport company left before the CNA arrived downstairs. An agency nurse assigned to the resident was not aware of the facility’s escort procedures and allowed the resident to leave with the transport company, believing the appointment transport was routine. Another nurse observed the resident leaving with the driver, confirmed the appointment on the schedule, and attempted to send the CNA as an escort, but by the time the CNA reached the pickup area, the resident had already departed without supervision. Subsequently, the resident did not arrive at the scheduled clinic appointment. The resident instead walked to a police station, reported being lost and needing to go to the hospital, and was then transported by EMS to the hospital’s emergency department. Facility staff, including the unit manager, ADON, DON, and administrator, later acknowledged that the resident always required an escort for appointments based on cognitive status and safety needs, and that the resident had gone out without an escort and was found wandering in the community. The administrator also stated that nursing staff did not notify him immediately when they realized the resident had left without an escort.
Failure to Notify Provider and Health Care Agent After Staff-Assisted Fall and Change in Condition
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to notify a resident’s provider and health care agent of a staff-assisted fall and subsequent change in condition. The resident, admitted with dementia, osteoporosis, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and a history of falls, experienced a loss of balance while standing in the bathroom and was lowered to the floor by a CNA. The facility’s policy on Changes in Resident’s Condition or Status required immediate physician notification for any accident with potential need for physician intervention. Nurse #1 was informed by the CNA that the resident became weak in the bathroom and had to be lowered to the floor. Nurse #1 assessed the resident, found stable vital signs and no reported pain at that time, and assisted the resident back to bed but did not notify the provider or the health care agent of the staff-assisted fall, and there was no documentation of such notification in the medical record. In the days following the incident, the resident was noted by another CNA as not feeling well and not being his/her usual self, and the decision was made to keep the resident in bed, though this CNA was not informed of the prior fall. Later, the Unit Manager became aware that the resident had been lowered to the floor when the resident complained of left hip pain, at which point the provider was contacted and an x-ray was ordered, revealing a left acute femoral intertrochanteric fracture with mild osteoporosis. Review of the facility’s report to the Health Care Facility Reporting System documented the staff-assisted fall and subsequent hip pain and fracture diagnosis, but interviews with the DON and record review confirmed there was no documentation that the provider or health care agent had been notified at the time of the fall, contrary to facility policy and expectations.
Oral Administration of Medication to NPO PEG-Tube Resident
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to ensure a resident was free from a significant medication error when a nurse administered an oral medication contrary to NPO and PEG tube orders. The facility’s medication administration policy required medications to be administered safely and appropriately per physician orders. For the resident in question, physician orders specified NPO status with all nutrition, fluids, and medications to be given via PEG tube, including a levothyroxine 137 mcg tablet ordered via PEG tube once daily. The resident had been admitted with diagnoses including dysphagia, pneumonitis due to inhalation of food and vomit, hypothyroidism, a history of aspiration pneumonia, was non-verbal, and developmentally delayed. On the morning in question, the nurse assigned to the 11:00 P.M. – 7:00 A.M. shift reported that she entered the resident’s room, informed the resident she had thyroid medication, elevated the head of the bed, and placed the levothyroxine pill directly into the resident’s open mouth, followed by a sip of water. The resident began to cough, and the nurse further elevated the head of the bed until the coughing stopped, after which she left the room believing the resident appeared comfortable. Later that morning, the nurse on the 7:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.M. shift observed a blue crushed substance in and around the resident’s mouth and a cup of water on the bedside table. This nurse stated he was concerned because the resident’s record and assignment sheet clearly indicated NPO status and that the resident could not have anything by mouth. Subsequent review by the unit manager and DON confirmed that the resident’s orders specified NPO with all medications via PEG tube, that the levothyroxine tablet was blue in color, and that the administering nurse had signed off on giving the medication. The administering nurse later acknowledged that, despite having been told at shift start that the resident was NPO, she had given the medication orally in error, constituting a significant medication error.
Failure to Provide Required Two-Person Assist During In-Bed Care Resulting in Fall and Fractures
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to ensure a resident who was dependent for bed mobility and used an air mattress received the necessary level of staff assistance during in-bed care, resulting in a fall. The resident had diagnoses including COPD, CHF, and CVA, was non-ambulatory, always incontinent, and required maximum staff assistance for bed mobility per the MDS. The ADL care plan, reviewed with the January 2026 MDS, documented that the resident was totally dependent on staff for positioning and turning in bed and required assistance for toileting and personal hygiene. The DON, nursing staff, and PT confirmed that from a nursing standpoint the resident was dependent for bed mobility, which meant assistance of two staff members was required. On the date of the incident, CNA #1 entered the resident’s room, noted a soiled brief, and decided to provide incontinent care alone. CNA #1 reported that she had previously changed the resident’s bed linens by herself and believed the resident could hold onto the side rail during care. She pulled the resident toward her using the incontinent pad and then rolled the resident onto the left side, away from herself, so the resident could hold the side rail. The resident reported that the side rail was not in use (up) that day, that his/her legs were very heavy, and that when placed on the side away from the CNA, the legs began to slip, leading to a fall from the bed to the floor. The facility’s post-fall investigation identified that the resident, who required two-person assistance, had been changed by one staff member on an air mattress. Nursing staff and supervisors stated that the resident was well known to require two-person assistance for bed mobility and care due to size, immobility, and use of a mechanical lift for transfers. Nurse #1 and Nursing Supervisor #1 both indicated that CNA #1 should have had another staff member present to provide care. Nurse #1 also stated that staff should always roll residents toward themselves in bed, not away. The DON confirmed that the resident’s dependent status for bed mobility meant two-person assistance was required and acknowledged that the air mattress contributed to instability. Following the fall, the resident was transferred to the hospital ED and diagnosed with bilateral displaced distal femur fractures with lipohemarthrosis.
Incomplete CNA ADL Documentation for a Resident
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain a complete and accurate medical record for one resident when Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) documentation of Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) was left incomplete on multiple shifts. The facility’s undated policy on Charting and Documentation required that all services provided to residents be documented in the medical record and that documentation be complete and accurate. Resident #1, admitted in July 2025 with diagnoses including COPD, CHF, and CVA, had CNA ADL flow sheets for April 2026 with numerous blanks where care should have been recorded. For bathing, dressing, bladder/bowel continence, personal hygiene, and preventative skin care, entries were left blank and not coded as provided on 15 of 21 applicable shifts across day, evening, and night shifts. The same resident’s flow sheets showed that turning and repositioning every two hours was left blank and not coded as provided on 13 of 21 applicable shifts, and eating and amount eaten were left blank and not coded as provided for 11 of 21 applicable meals. These omissions occurred over multiple consecutive days and shifts. During interviews, CNA #2 stated that CNAs are supposed to chart all resident care either immediately after providing it or by the end of the shift, and the DON confirmed that CNAs are expected to document all resident care by the end of their shifts and that there should not be blanks on this resident’s CNA flow sheet.
Failure to Specify Required Staff Assistance in ADL Care Plan
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to develop and implement an individualized ADL care plan that clearly specified the number of staff required to safely assist a resident with limited mobility and total dependence for certain tasks. Facility policies required comprehensive, person-centered care plans with measurable objectives and timetables, and specified that residents unable to perform ADLs independently must receive appropriate support in accordance with the plan of care. Resident #1, admitted with COPD, CHF, and a history of CVA, had an ADL care plan noting an ADL self-care performance deficit related to activity intolerance, limited mobility, CHF, osteoarthritis, and CVA. The care plan documented that the resident was dependent or required assistance for mobility, bathing/showering, bed/chair mobility, dressing, personal hygiene, toileting, and transfers, including being totally dependent on staff for positioning and turning in bed. However, the plan of care did not identify the specific number of staff required to safely provide assistance for these ADL tasks, despite the resident’s dependence and need for turning and repositioning. The personal hygiene intervention was later updated to require two-person assistance, but other interventions remained non-specific, listing only "assist/dependent" without clarifying staff numbers. During interviews, a CNA reported that she believed she could provide care to this resident by herself and had previously changed the resident’s bed linens alone. The DON stated that a notation of total dependence for bed mobility should be interpreted as requiring assistance of two staff members and that CNAs should not determine the resident’s level of staff assistance, emphasizing that the care plan should explicitly state the level and number of staff required for each intervention.
Failure to Supervise Resident and Prevent Elopement From Secured Unit
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to ensure adequate supervision and prevent elopement for a resident on a secured unit who had a legal guardian and a care plan requiring that he/she remain in the facility unless supervised. The resident, admitted with dementia with behavioral disturbances, anxiety, major depressive disorder, and frontotemporal neurocognitive disorder, ambulated independently and required physical assistance with ADLs. The facility’s elopement policy required that residents at risk for wandering or elopement have care plan strategies and interventions to maintain safety. Despite this, the DON acknowledged that no elopement assessment or care plan interventions had been initiated for this resident prior to the incident, even after staff observed the resident asking how to leave the facility. On the day of the incident, a CNA observed the resident at the nurse station around 2:30 P.M. asking how to leave the facility. The CNA reported that the resident routinely wandered the unit but was not known to exhibit exit-seeking behavior and therefore did not believe the resident would leave. Around 2:40 P.M., a nurse saw the resident at the nursing station interacting with staff, and by approximately 3:00 P.M., during final clinical rounds, the nurse noted the resident was missing and activated an elopement code. Staff searched the interior and exterior of the facility without success, and about 45 minutes later, staff and local police located the resident at his/her former home approximately two miles away. The administrator reported that exit doors and rear doors were alarmed and required codes, and presumed the resident may have exited by entering an elevator with a visitor who had access to the code, but staff had previously shared alarm/elevator codes with visitors or outside consultants.
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