§483.35 Nursing Services.
The facility must have sufficient nursing staff with the appropriate competencies and skills sets to provide nursing and related services to assure resident safety and attain or maintain the highest practicable physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being of each resident, as determined by resident assessments and individual plans of care and considering the number, acuity, and diagnoses of the facility's resident population in accordance with the facility assessment required at §483.71.
§483.35(a) Sufficient Staff.
§483.35(a)(1) The facility must provide services by sufficient numbers of each of the following types of personnel on a 24-hour basis to provide nursing care to all residents in accordance with resident care plans:
(i) Except when waived under paragraph (e) of this section, licensed nurses; and
(ii) Other nursing personnel, including but not limited to nurse aides.
§483.35(a)(2) Except when waived under paragraph (e) of this section, the facility must designate a licensed nurse to serve as a charge nurse on each tour of duty.
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Observations:
Based on review of facility policy and resident observations, and staff interviews, it was determined that the facility failed to have sufficient nursing staff to provide nursing and related services to attain or maintain the highest practicable physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being for seven of 23 residents (Residents R15, R23, R28, R38, R54, R82, and R83).
Findings include:
A facility policy entitled "Cleaning of Wheelchairs and Geri-chairs" dated 1/12/26, indicated that wheelchairs are cleaned according to the resident's shower schedule on the 11:00 p.m. 7:00 a.m. shift prior to the shower day.
Observations on 4/19/26, between 2:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. and 4/20/26, between 9:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. revealed that Residents R15, R23, R28, R38, R54, R82, and R83's wheelchairs with copious amounts of dried food particles, dried liquids, accumulation of dust and dirt, and debris on frames, wheels, arm rests, seats, seat cushions, and leg rests.
During an interview on 4/21/26, at 10:41 a.m. Registered Nurse RN Employee E6 confirmed the condition of the above wheelchairs were as stated.
During an interview on 4/22/26, at 9:41 a.m. the Nursing Home Administrator confirmed that the wheelchairs were to be cleaned on the overnight shift by nursing staff, and that they frequently failed to maintain adequate staff on that shift, and that could have contributed to failure to clean the wheelchairs.
28 Pa. Code 201.14(a) Responsibility of licensee
28 Pa. Code 201.18(b)(1)(3) Management
28 Pa. Code 211.12(d)(1)(5)(f.1)(3) Nursing services
| | Plan of Correction - To be completed: 06/09/2026
The wheelchairs for residents R15, R23, R28, R38, R54, R82, and R83 have been cleaned.
A one-time audit of 100% of facility wheelchairs has been completed with those noted to be found with dried food particles, dried liquids, dust and dirt, and debris on frames, wheels, arm rests, seats, seat cushions, and leg rests being thoroughly cleaned.
Current Nurse Aide staff will be re-educated on 5/15/2026 on the facility policy entitled "Cleaning of Wheelchairs and Geri-chairs" with emphasis that wheelchairs are to be cleaned on the 11:00p – 7:00a shift prior to the resident's shower day. The education has been added to the agency orientation.
A wheelchair cleaning task will be added to Nurse Aide documentation for each resident's shower day.
Facility Director of Nursing or designee will audit 4 resident wheelchairs post shower to ensure the wheelchair has been properly cleaned for five (5) days, weekly for three (3) weeks, monthly for two (2) months.
Results of audits will be reviewed with the Quality Assurance Performance Improvement (QAPI) Committee
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