Mount St Rita Health Centre
Inspection history, citations, penalties and survey trends for this long-term care facility in Cumberland, Rhode Island.
- Location
- 15 Sumner Brown Road, Cumberland, Rhode Island 02864
- CMS Provider Number
- 415085
- Inspections on file
- 28
- Latest survey
- February 17, 2026
- Citations (last 12 mo.)
- 8
Citation history
Health deficiencies cited at Mount St Rita Health Centre during CMS and state inspections, most recent first.
The facility failed to maintain a sanitary and comfortable environment when surveyors observed multiple brown-stained ceiling tiles on two floors, including in main hallways, above a resident room doorway, above a utility room doorway, and in the hallway and doorway areas leading to shower rooms. These findings followed a community complaint alleging plumbing problems, leaking ceilings and heating systems, and widespread water stains in ceiling tiles. During the survey, the Maintenance Director acknowledged the stained tiles and that they required replacement.
A resident with a history of falls and mobility limitations exited the facility unsupervised during severe weather, after previously demonstrating attempts to leave. The care plan was not updated to address wandering or elopement risk, and staff were unaware of the resident's absence until the individual was found outside with frostbite and injuries, requiring hospitalization. The facility failed to provide adequate supervision and did not revise the care plan following earlier incidents.
The facility failed to ensure proper care for a resident with dementia by not having an order for a wanderguard bracelet, despite the resident's risk for wandering. Additionally, two residents experienced changes in condition without timely provider notification. One resident with Alzheimer's developed pitting edema, and another with iron deficiency anemia showed bruising after a procedure, yet neither case was reported to the provider as required.
The facility failed to properly store and label medications, with expired drugs found on a medication cart and in medication rooms. LPNs acknowledged the expired medications, including vitamin supplements and Ativan Intensol. Additionally, ice accumulation was observed in medication storage fridges on all floors, with the DON unsure of the last defrosting.
A resident admitted with a pressure ulcer on the left heel did not receive necessary wound care for seven days due to an incorrectly transcribed treatment order. Required wound assessments and documentation were delayed until eleven days after admission, as confirmed by facility staff, including the wound nurse and DON.
A facility failed to implement an effective antibiotic stewardship program, leading to incorrect administration of Bactroban 2% for a resident. The medication, intended for a left heel wound, was applied to the nares for 11 days. The Infection Preventionist and DON acknowledged the error and the absence of an antibiotic timeout, highlighting deficiencies in monitoring and managing antibiotic use.
A resident receiving end-of-life care was administered an incorrect dose of morphine, receiving only half of the prescribed amount on two occasions. The error was confirmed by an LPN and the DON, who acknowledged the discrepancy between the administered dose and the physician's order.
Stained Ceiling Tiles and Unsanitary Environmental Conditions
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain a sanitary and comfortable environment for residents, staff, and the public, as evidenced by multiple stained ceiling tiles on two of three floors. A community complaint submitted to the state health department alleged serious plumbing issues, leaking ceilings and heating systems, and water stains throughout the building’s ceiling tiles. During a survey of the first floor, the surveyor observed a brown-stained ceiling tile approximately 6 inches long in the main hallway across from the chapel; another brown-stained tile spanning about 8 inches directly above the doorway to a resident room on the South unit; a brown-stained tile approximately 6 to 8 inches long above the doorway to a utility room on the South unit; and three adjacent ceiling tiles, each with circular brown stains 12 to 18 inches in diameter, in the hallway leading to the shower rooms on the South unit. On the second-floor South unit, the surveyor observed a ceiling tile with a semi-circular brown stain approximately 18 inches wide above the doorway to a shower room. During observations and an interview with the Maintenance Director, he acknowledged that these ceiling tiles were stained and needed to be replaced. No additional resident-specific clinical information or medical history was provided in relation to this deficiency.
Failure to Provide Adequate Supervision Resulting in Resident Elopement and Injury
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a resident with a history of falls, partial weight bearing status, and an amputation was able to exit the facility unsupervised during inclement weather. The resident had previously demonstrated attempts to leave the building, including an incident where the resident attempted to exit the facility and refused to return to the unit, but the care plan was not updated to address this behavior. There was no evidence that an elopement evaluation was completed after the initial incident, nor was the care plan revised to include interventions for wandering or elopement risk prior to the subsequent event. On the day of the incident, the resident exited the building in the early morning hours without staff knowledge, during a snowstorm with freezing temperatures. The resident fell outside after dropping a cane and was unable to get up, remaining outside for approximately an hour. The resident was found by staff after calling for help, presenting with significant frostbite and blisters on both hands, and was subsequently hospitalized for further evaluation and treatment. Staff interviews revealed that the resident was able to disengage the alarm system using the emergency exit button, and that staff were not aware of the resident's absence until the resident was discovered outside. The facility's policy required adequate supervision and individualized care planning for residents at risk of wandering or elopement. However, the resident's care plan did not reflect the risk behaviors observed, and staff, including the Administrator and DON, were unaware of the prior incident and did not implement additional supervision or interventions. The lack of timely assessment and care plan updates contributed to the resident's ability to leave the facility undetected, resulting in an unwitnessed fall and frostbite injuries.
Deficiencies in Resident Care and Provider Notification
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that Resident ID #56 received treatment and care in accordance with professional standards of practice regarding the use of a wanderguard bracelet. The resident, who was admitted with a diagnosis of dementia and resides on an unsecured unit, was identified as being at risk for wandering and elopement. Despite this, there was no evidence of an order for a wanderguard in the resident's medical record, nor were there orders to check the placement and function of the wanderguard as per the facility's policy. The resident exhibited wandering and exit-seeking behaviors on multiple occasions, and staff acknowledged the absence of necessary orders during the surveyor's observation and interviews. The facility also failed to notify the provider of a change in condition for Resident ID #60, who was admitted with Alzheimer's Disease. The resident developed pitting edema in both legs, which was documented in progress notes, but there was no evidence that the provider was notified until the surveyor brought it to the facility's attention. Staff interviews confirmed that the edema was a change in condition requiring notification, and the physician expected to be informed when the edema was first noted. Similarly, the facility did not notify the provider of a change in condition for Resident ID #280, who was admitted with iron deficiency anemia and had recently undergone a procedure involving stent placement. The resident developed bruising around the genitals and groin area, which was noted in progress notes, but there was no evidence of provider notification. Staff interviews revealed awareness of the bruising, and the physician expected to be informed when it was first observed.
Medication Storage and Labeling Deficiencies
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to store and label drugs and biologicals in accordance with currently accepted professional principles. During a surveyor observation of the 1st floor medication cart, several expired medications were found, including vitamin B complex, cranberry supplement, ferate tablets, aspirin, and a multivitamin. The Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) present acknowledged that these medications were expired and should have been discarded. Additionally, in the 2nd and 3rd floor medication rooms, bottles of liquid Ativan Intensol were found to be opened and expired, with the LPNs on duty confirming the oversight. Furthermore, the surveyor observed an accumulation of ice in the medication storage fridges on all three floors. The LPNs acknowledged the presence of ice, and the Director of Nursing Services admitted uncertainty about the last defrosting of the freezers. The Director also expressed an expectation that staff should discard expired medications and maintain the freezers properly.
Failure to Provide Timely Pressure Ulcer Care
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide necessary treatment and services for a newly admitted resident with a pressure ulcer, as required by professional standards of practice. The resident was admitted with a diagnosis of pressure-induced deep tissue damage on the left heel, which was documented in the hospital discharge paperwork as receiving daily wound treatment. However, upon admission to the facility, there was no evidence of wound care being provided to the resident's left heel until seven days later. Additionally, the required wound assessments, including measurements and documentation of the wound's condition, were not conducted until eleven days after admission. Interviews with facility staff revealed that the lack of treatment and documentation was due to an incorrectly transcribed treatment order. The Unit Manager, who is also the facility's wound nurse, acknowledged that the resident did not receive the expected wound care and assessments upon admission and weekly thereafter. The Director of Nursing Services confirmed that the resident's pressure wound should have been addressed and documented weekly, indicating a failure in the facility's wound care protocol adherence.
Failure in Antibiotic Stewardship and Medication Administration
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to establish an Infection Prevention and Control Program (IPCP) that includes an antibiotic stewardship program with protocols and a system to monitor antibiotic use. This deficiency was identified during a review of records and staff interviews, specifically concerning a resident who was admitted with conditions including pressure-induced deep tissue damage of the left heel and peripheral vascular disease. The hospital discharge summary indicated an order for Bactroban 2% to be applied to a left heel wound, but the facility's treatment administration record showed that the medication was incorrectly applied to the resident's nares for 11 days. The Infection Preventionist and the Director of Nursing Services both acknowledged the error in medication administration and the lack of an antibiotic timeout, which is a critical component of the antibiotic stewardship program. The failure to perform an antibiotic timeout and the incorrect application of the medication highlight the facility's deficiency in monitoring and managing antibiotic use as per the established protocols.
Significant Medication Error in Morphine Administration
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that a resident was free from significant medication errors, specifically concerning the administration of morphine. The resident, who was receiving end-of-life care and had diagnoses including Alzheimer's disease and diabetes, was assessed by hospice and had their morphine dosage increased. The physician's order specified that the resident should receive 0.25 milliliters of morphine every hour as needed for shortness of breath or severe pain. However, on two occasions, the resident was administered only 0.125 milliliters of morphine, which is half of the prescribed dose. The error was confirmed during a surveyor interview with the LPN who administered the doses and the Director of Nursing Services. The LPN acknowledged administering the incorrect dose, and the Director of Nursing confirmed that the resident received the wrong amount of morphine, contrary to the physician's order. The narcotic logbook and medical records failed to provide evidence that the correct dosage was administered, highlighting a significant medication error in the resident's care.
Latest citations in Rhode Island
The facility failed to follow physician orders for post-fall care for three anticoagulated residents who experienced falls. One resident on a blood thinner with a head injury was ordered to be transferred to the ED after a telehealth evaluation, but an LPN did not send the resident, citing instructions to contact a supervisor first and inability to reach that supervisor. For two other residents on anticoagulants, providers ordered intensive neuro checks (every 15 minutes, then every 30 minutes, then hourly, then every 4 hours), but staff instead performed neuro checks only once per shift for 72 hours. The DON and Medical Director acknowledged that the transfer and monitoring orders were not implemented as written.
A resident with intact cognition and psychiatric diagnoses sustained a left eyebrow laceration when another resident with a documented history of escalating aggressive and threatening behaviors struck them with a cane during a hallway dispute. The aggressive resident had multiple prior documented incidents, including verbal threats to kill others, attacking a roommate with a cane over TV volume, throwing objects during activities, and throwing a lunch plate at staff. Despite these events, the care plan was not updated with interventions to address physical aggression toward other residents, and a psychiatric recommendation for PRN trazodone for agitation, anxiety, and insomnia was only implemented as PRN for insomnia. The failure to assess, monitor, and implement effective interventions for the aggressive resident’s behaviors led to the assault and injury and, per the report, placed this and other residents at risk of serious physical and psychosocial harm.
A resident with impulse disorder, mood and anxiety diagnoses, and a history of escalating verbal and physical aggression had multiple documented incidents of threats, object throwing, and assault with a cane. Despite a psychiatric consult recommending PRN trazodone for agitation, anxiety, and insomnia, the provider order listed insomnia only, and the care plan was not updated with specific interventions to address the resident’s physically aggressive behaviors after several documented events. Subsequently, the resident struck another resident with a cane, causing a facial laceration that required wound closure and ongoing treatment.
The facility failed to properly screen and document clearance for a NA with disqualifying criminal history information before hire, as required by its abuse, neglect, and exploitation policy. A BCI check showed disqualifying information, yet the NA was hired, completed orientation, and worked independently based only on verbal disclosure of an old drug-related charge, without written details or verification. Later, a staff member reported witnessing this NA grab a resident’s face and kiss the resident on the lips, and a community complaint alleged inappropriate interactions with the same resident, prompting involvement of local police.
A resident with anxiety disorder and PTSD was unable to attend meals and activities with peers because the facility lost the resident's clothing after it was sent to laundry. The resident was observed in a hospital gown with only a few clothing items in the room, and the record lacked an admission inventory of belongings. The DON/Administrator reported that laundry was handled by an outside vendor without a tracking system or item documentation.
A resident with dementia and severely impaired cognition was subjected to repeated non-consensual kissing on the lips by an NA, who entered the resident’s room during care, verbally expressed affection, and then kissed the resident on the mouth on at least two separate occasions witnessed by staff. One staff member delayed reporting the first incident due to fear of the NA. These actions occurred despite a facility policy defining sexual abuse as any non-consensual sexual act and requiring protections of residents’ rights and well-being.
Failure to investigate allegations of resident-to-resident sexual inappropriateness: A resident with dementia and TBI was documented as being inappropriate with another resident, and psych notes later described increased sexually inappropriate behaviors toward other residents. Staff interviews showed the resident had been observed touching others and needing frequent redirection, but the DON, ADON, and Administrator acknowledged the facility did not complete an investigation or recognize the allegation as possible abuse.
A resident with dementia and a hearing deficit did not receive ear care as ordered because the chart lacked the Debrox order and the ear was flushed before the intended Debrox course was completed. In a separate incident, staff witnessed inappropriate kissing of a resident with dementia, but the allegation was not reported to the provider and the care plan was not updated. A third resident’s wound care was also not completed as ordered when an RN used normal saline instead of the prescribed Vashe wound wash.
A resident with migraines and chronic pain did not receive timely pain management after repeatedly reporting a migraine and appearing in visible distress. An NA notified an LPN, an RN said she could not access the med cart, and the resident continued waiting while the LPN was off the unit; the PRN migraine medication was not given until 40 minutes after the first complaint. The DON acknowledged the resident should not have waited that long for pain medication.
A resident missed 6 doses of a prescribed antibiotic, and the MAR did not show that the provider was notified. The RN acknowledged the missed doses and said they should have been reported, while the Medical Director stated she was unaware of the missed doses and would have extended the antibiotic course if informed. The DON also confirmed the missed doses and expected provider notification for any missed antibiotic dose.
Failure to Follow Post-Fall Physician Orders for Anticoagulated Residents
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to implement physician orders for post-fall care, including hospital transfer and neurological monitoring, for residents on anticoagulant therapy. One resident with atrial fibrillation on Xarelto experienced an unwitnessed fall with a scalp laceration and head lump. The on-call provider, after a telehealth evaluation, ordered transfer to the ED and wrote an order directing that the resident be sent to the hospital. The resident was not transferred as ordered, and an additional order for vital signs and neuro checks every shift for 72 hours after the fall was not completed as ordered on one of the shifts. The LPN caring for this resident stated she did not send the resident to the ED because she had been instructed to call a supervisor before sending residents out, and she was unable to reach the supervisor during the shift. A second resident, also with atrial fibrillation and on Xarelto, had an unwitnessed fall with injury. The on-call provider was notified and ordered neuro checks every 15 minutes for one hour, every 30 minutes for one hour, hourly for four hours, then every four hours for an additional 24 hours. A physician’s order reflecting this schedule was scanned into the EMR. However, the neuro checks were not completed as ordered; instead, they were performed only once per shift for 72 hours. The RN who authored the progress note documented the fall and the resident’s anticoagulant use, and later stated she could not remember why she did not transcribe and complete the neuro checks as ordered. A third resident with atrial fibrillation on Apixaban had a non-injury fall after attempting to walk independently. The on-call provider ordered neuro checks every 15 minutes for one hour, every 30 minutes for one hour, hourly for four hours, and then every four hours for an additional 24 hours, and this order was scanned into the EMR. The record did not show that these neuro checks were completed as ordered; instead, neuro checks were documented only once per shift for 72 hours. The Medical Director stated he would have expected the first resident to be transferred to the ED as ordered and that the facility should not override a provider’s order. The DON acknowledged that the transfer order and the ordered monitoring for the first resident were not followed as written, and that for the second and third residents, staff performed only once-per-shift neuro checks instead of the more frequent monitoring ordered by the providers.
Failure to Manage Escalating Aggression Leading to Resident-to-Resident Assault
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to protect a cognitively intact resident, Resident ID #1, from abuse by another resident with a known history of escalating aggression, Resident ID #2. Resident ID #1 was admitted in October 2025 with diagnoses including paranoid schizophrenia and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, and had a BIMS score of 14/15, indicating intact cognition. On 4/27/2026, progress notes documented that Resident ID #1 was on the receiving end of a physical altercation with another resident and was found with a deep bleeding abrasion to the left eyebrow. A subsequent nursing note described a new laceration to the left eyebrow measuring 0.5 cm by 2.0 cm by 0.1 cm, related to a resident-to-resident incident, for which wound closure strips were applied. Resident ID #1 requested police involvement and a police report, and refused transfer to the hospital for sutures. Resident ID #2 had been admitted in December 2024 with multiple psychiatric and behavioral diagnoses, including impulse disorder, adjustment disorder with mixed emotions and conduct, irritability and anger, restlessness and agitation, persistent mood disorder, and generalized anxiety. A Quarterly MDS showed a BIMS score of 13/15 and documented both physical and verbal behaviors during the look-back period. Progress notes over several months recorded a pattern of escalating aggressive and threatening behaviors: on 9/13/2025, Resident ID #2 threatened to slit another resident’s throat and made additional threats toward staff; on 11/7/2025, the resident was involved in a verbal dispute with raised voice, name-calling, and verbal threats; on 12/28/2025, after another resident struck Resident ID #2 with a helmet, Resident ID #2 was overheard threatening to kill that resident if touched again. On 2/21/2026, the on-call provider documented that Resident ID #2 attacked a roommate with a cane over TV volume and required ER transfer for psychiatric evaluation. Subsequent notes on 3/9/2026 and 4/10/2026 described the resident throwing poker chips on the floor, yelling and swearing at staff and residents, and throwing a lunch plate across the nurses’ station at a nursing assistant due to dissatisfaction with portion size. Despite this documented pattern, the care plan for Resident ID #2, dated 1/16/2025, only indicated a behavior problem of being verbally aggressive toward staff with resident-to-resident altercations on 12/28/2025, 2/21/2026, and 4/27/2026, and record review failed to show added interventions to mitigate the risk of physical aggression toward other residents after the 2/21/2026 cane attack and the object-throwing incidents on 3/9/2026 and 4/10/2026. A psychiatric evaluation on 4/23/2026 recommended starting trazodone 25 mg twice daily as needed for agitation, anxiety, and insomnia, with monitoring of response and tolerability. However, the physician’s order entered on 4/24/2026 specified trazodone 25 mg twice daily as needed only for insomnia, and record review did not show that agitation and anxiety were included as indications for use. During interviews, the RNP and the DON stated it was their expectation that agitation and anxiety would have been included in the trazodone order, and the DON was unable to provide evidence that the care plan had been updated with interventions to address Resident ID #2’s physically aggressive behaviors documented on 2/21/2026, 3/9/2026, and 4/10/2026. On 4/27/2026, the DON documented that Resident ID #2 was ambulating down the hall toward his/her room while Resident ID #1 was walking in the opposite direction, and the two residents began a verbal dispute. Before staff could intervene, Resident ID #2 used his/her cane to make contact with Resident ID #1, resulting in the eyebrow laceration that required steri-strips and ongoing wound treatment. A police incident report recorded that Resident ID #1 stated being struck with a walking cane, wanted to press charges, and that Resident ID #2 admitted to striking Resident ID #1, leading to an arrest on one count of felony assault with a dangerous weapon. The facility’s failure to assess, monitor, and implement effective interventions for Resident ID #2’s known and escalating aggressive behaviors, including failure to update the care plan after prior incidents and failure to fully implement psychiatric recommendations, resulted in this resident-to-resident altercation and injury, and the report states that this failure placed Resident ID #1 and other residents at risk of serious physical and psychosocial harm.
Failure to Implement Psychiatric Recommendations and Update Behavior Care Plan Leading to Resident Altercation
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to provide necessary behavioral health services and care planning for a resident with a documented history of psychiatric conditions and aggressive behaviors. The resident was admitted in December 2024 with diagnoses including impulse disorder, adjustment disorder with mixed emotions and conduct, irritability and anger, restlessness and agitation, persistent mood disorder, and generalized anxiety. A Quarterly MDS showed intact cognition with a BIMS score of 13/15 and documented physical and verbal behaviors during the look-back period. Over time, multiple behavioral incidents were recorded, including threats to slit another resident’s throat during a smoking session, verbal disputes with name-calling and threats, and a statement to another resident that if touched again the resident would be killed. Further documentation showed escalating behaviors, including an incident where the resident attacked a roommate with a cane over television volume and required ER transfer for psychiatric evaluation, throwing poker chips and yelling when not winning at Bingo, causing the roommate to avoid the shared bathroom due to inappropriate comments and frustration over the light being turned on at night, and throwing a lunch plate across the nurses’ station at a nursing assistant over portion size. The care plan, initiated in January 2025 for verbal aggression and resident-to-resident altercations, did not contain added interventions to address the resident’s physically aggressive behaviors toward others after the incidents on 2/21/2026, 3/9/2026, and 4/10/2026. The DNS later could not provide evidence that the care plan had been updated with interventions to mitigate the risk of these physically aggressive behaviors or to guide staff in ensuring the safety of other residents. On 4/23/2026, a psychiatric evaluation recommended starting trazodone 25 mg twice daily as needed for agitation, anxiety, and insomnia, with monitoring of response and tolerability. However, the physician’s order dated 4/24/2026 implemented trazodone 25 mg twice daily as needed for insomnia only, and the record lacked evidence that agitation and anxiety were included as indications for use as recommended by the consulting psychiatrist. Both the RNP and the DNS stated it was their expectation that the trazodone order would have included agitation and anxiety. Following this incomplete implementation of the psychiatric recommendation and the lack of updated behavioral interventions in the care plan, a resident-to-resident altercation occurred on 4/27/2026 in which the resident struck another resident with a cane, causing a laceration to the left eyebrow that required closure with steri-strips and ongoing wound treatment.
Failure to Properly Screen and Clear NA with Disqualifying Criminal History
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that a prospective employee was properly screened and cleared for a history of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or misappropriation of resident property before hire. A nursing assistant, identified as Staff A, was hired on 11/18/2025 and was working independently as a NA. Prior to hire, a Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI) check dated 11/6/2025 showed that Staff A had disqualifying information under federal and state law. Surveyor review after discovery of the positive BCI revealed that Staff A had an extensive criminal history. Despite this, the facility proceeded with the hire and allowed Staff A to complete orientation and work independently without obtaining or maintaining documentation specifying the nature of the disqualifying information, contrary to the facility’s Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation Policy, which requires screening and documentation of proof that such screening occurred. Subsequently, a facility-reported incident submitted on 4/17/2026 documented that a staff member reported witnessing Staff A grab a resident’s face and kiss the resident on the lips. A community-reported complaint submitted on 4/22/2026 alleged inappropriate interactions between the same NA and the same resident, and included a local police incident report indicating the resident’s family intended to pursue charges related to the incident. During interviews, the Human Resource Director stated that Staff A had disclosed disqualifying information related to a prior drug-related charge from about ten years earlier, but acknowledged there was no documentation specifying the nature of the disqualifying information and that this was known only by word of mouth. The Administrator stated she was aware that the BCI contained disqualifying information and that she exercised her own judgment in proceeding with the hire, and further acknowledged she did not receive documentation detailing the disqualifying information until it was brought to her attention by the surveyor.
Failure to Maintain Resident Clothing and Dignity
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure a resident was treated with respect and dignity when the resident was unable to attend meals and activities with other residents because of a lack of appropriate clothing. The resident was admitted in May 2025 with diagnoses including anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, and a care plan revised on 8/25/2025 described the resident as highly social and willing to participate in a variety of activities, with an intervention to provide reminders of scheduled events. During observation on 4/29/2026, the resident was found in the room wearing a hospital gown while other residents were in the dining room for lunch. Only one pair of pants and two T-shirts were observed in the room. The resident stated that the facility lost all of the resident's clothing, including shirts, pants, shorts, and socks, after they were sent to laundry services several months earlier and were never returned. The resident reported that the Administrator was told about the missing clothing, but no follow-up occurred and the clothing was neither located nor replaced. The record did not contain an admission inventory list of the resident's belongings, and the Administrator stated that laundry was handled by an outsourced company without a tracking system or documentation identifying which items belonged to which resident.
Failure to Protect Cognitively Impaired Resident From Sexual Abuse
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to protect a resident from sexual abuse when a nursing assistant (NA) was observed kissing the resident on the lips on more than one occasion. The resident, identified as having dementia and a Brief Interview for Mental Status (BIMS) score of 0/15 indicating severely impaired cognition, had been admitted in March 2026. On one occasion, a Certified Medication Technician (CMT) reported that while she was assisting the resident with breakfast, the NA entered the room, verbally expressed affection for the resident, made a kissing noise, leaned forward, and kissed the resident on the lips. This incident made the CMT uncomfortable, and she later discussed it with another NA. A separate staff member, another NA, reported that two days earlier she had observed the same NA enter the resident’s room while morning care was being provided, ask the resident if they remembered her, state that she loved the resident, then lean toward the resident, make a kissing sound, and kiss the resident on the mouth with full lip-to-lip contact. This second NA did not report the incident at the time because she was fearful of the NA involved and only came forward after learning of the later incident. The facility’s abuse, neglect, and exploitation policy defined sexual abuse as a non-consensual sexual act of any type with a resident and required protections for each resident’s health, welfare, and rights, as well as screening of potential employees for a history of abuse. Despite this policy, the resident with severely impaired cognition was subjected to repeated non-consensual kissing by the NA.
Failure to Investigate Allegations of Resident-to-Resident Sexual Inappropriateness
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that allegations made by residents were recognized as possible abuse by staff and that all allegations were investigated for Resident ID #41, who was admitted with diagnoses including dementia and traumatic brain injury. A facility policy titled, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation, stated that an immediate investigation is warranted when suspicion of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or reports of abuse, neglect, or exploitation occur. A progress note written by an RN documented that a resident reported Resident ID #41 was being inappropriate with another resident. Subsequent records included psychiatric evaluations stating the resident was being seen due to increased sexually inappropriate behaviors toward other residents and that sexual impulses may present an unsafe environment for other patients in the facility. Staff interviews revealed that Resident ID #41 had been observed touching other residents' shoulders and hands and required frequent redirection. The RN who documented the incident stated the behavior involved an attempted hug without contact and that both residents were separated and assessed, while the ADON and DON acknowledged they were unaware of the behavior or that the facility had not investigated the allegations. The Administrator also acknowledged that an investigation had not been completed to determine what sexually inappropriate behavior had occurred and that staff did not identify the allegation as possible abuse or investigate it immediately.
Failure to Follow Orders, Report Abuse, and Perform Ordered Wound Care
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide treatment and care in accordance with physician orders and professional standards for a resident with dementia and anxiety disorder who had a hearing deficit and complained of right ear wax buildup. The medical record showed an order for Debrox ear drops and a separate order to flush the right ear with warm water two times a day following Debrox usage for 5 days, but the record did not include a physician order for the Debrox solution. The April 2026 MAR showed the resident’s right ear was flushed six times, and the resident stated that the right ear still felt blocked. The RN acknowledged flushing the ear and was unaware whether Debrox had been given, while the DON stated the order had been entered incorrectly and that the ear should not have been flushed before Debrox administration. The NP stated the intended order was for Debrox twice daily for five days before irrigation and that she would not have ordered daily ear flushing. The facility also failed to report an allegation of abuse and failed to update the care plan for a resident with dementia after staff reported inappropriate interactions with a nursing assistant. A community complaint and police incident report indicated the family wanted to press charges, and the Administrator and DON confirmed that staff had reported witnessing the nursing assistant kiss the resident on two occasions. The record did not show that the allegation was reported to the provider, and the comprehensive care plan was not updated to reflect the allegation or any interventions related to the incident. The NP stated she was unaware of the incident and would have expected to be notified, and the ADNS acknowledged that the provider had not been notified and the care plan had not been updated. The facility further failed to follow a wound care order for a resident readmitted with peripheral vascular disease and cellulitis of the lower limb. The physician ordered cleansing open areas on the left lower leg with Vashe wound wash, applying xeroform to the wound bed, and wrapping with kling. During observation, the RN performing wound care did not use Vashe wash and instead cleansed the wound with normal saline. The RN acknowledged using normal saline rather than the ordered cleanser, and the DON stated she would expect the nurse to follow the wound orders as written.
Delayed Pain Medication for Resident with Migraine
Penalty
Summary
Safe, appropriate pain management was not provided for Resident ID #17, who was admitted with diagnoses including migraines and chronic pain. The resident’s care plan dated 4/20/2026 included a goal for the resident to verbalize adequate pain relief and an intervention to respond immediately to any complaint of pain. The physician ordered Butalbital-APAP-Caffeine 50-300-40 mg, 1 capsule every 12 hours as needed for migraine pain. On 4/29/2026 at 10:30 AM, the resident was observed in the hallway complaining of a migraine, moaning in pain, and holding his/her head. At 10:34 AM, an NA reported to an LPN that the resident wanted pain medication, and at 10:37 AM the resident continued to complain of migraine pain and told an RN about the pain, but the RN stated she did not have keys to the medication cart and could not get any pain medication. The resident continued to complain of severe head pain, returned to the room to lie down at 10:40 AM, and the LPN was still off the unit at 10:42 AM. The resident was not assessed when the LPN returned, and the medication was not administered until 11:10 AM, 40 minutes after the initial complaint. The resident later reported pain rated 7 out of 10, and the DON acknowledged that a resident should not wait 40 minutes for pain medication.
Missed Antibiotic Doses Not Reported to Provider
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that Resident ID #17 was free from significant medication errors when the resident missed 6 doses of a prescribed antibiotic. The resident was admitted in April 2026 with diagnoses including surgical aftercare and complication of surgical and medical care, and had a physician order dated 4/3/2026 for Cefadroxil 500 mg by mouth twice daily for 14 days. Review of the April 2026 MAR showed missed doses on 4/3 at 8:00 PM, 4/6 at 8:00 PM, 4/11 at 8:00 PM, 4/12 at 8:00 AM, 4/14 at 8:00 PM, and 4/17 at 8:00 AM. The record did not show that the provider was notified of the missed antibiotic doses. During interview, the RN acknowledged the 6 missed doses and stated they should have been reported to the provider. The Medical Director stated she was unaware of the missed doses and said she would have extended the antibiotic course if she had known. The DON also acknowledged the missed doses and stated she would expect the provider to be informed if a resident misses any dose of an antibiotic.
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