Finding Description
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, interview, record review, policy review, and manufacturer's guideline review, the provider failed to ensure:*Oxygen equipment for two of two sampled residents (3 and 28) who required the use of supplemental oxygen was kept off the floor and appropriately serviced.*Infection control practices had been followed by three of three staff members (registered nurse (RN) J, certified nursing assistant (CNA) K, and CNA L) to minimize the risk of contamination to the oxygen tubing, for one of one sampled resident's (3) who required the use of continuous oxygen.*One of one sampled resident (3) received oxygen as ordered by the physician.*One of one sampled resident's (28) continuous use of oxygen at night was addressed in the resident's care plan. Findings include:1. Observation and interview on 8/12/25 at 9:05 a.m. with resident 3 while he was in his bed in his room revealed:*He communicated with sounds and gestures.*He had an oxygen (O2) concentrator (a device that filters room air into purified oxygen) next to his dresser, near the bathroom, which contained:-An undated O2 tubing and nasal cannula tubing (flexible tubing with prongs that delivers oxygen through the nose).-A humidifier bottle that did not contain any liquid.-An orange medical supply service sticker indicated that the O2 concentrator had been serviced on 7/30/24 and was due for service on 7/25.*The filter on the back side of the concentrator was missing.*An open jug of purified water dated 6-9 was on the table next to the O2 concentrator, which contained approximately one inch of water.*His wheelchair, located in the bathroom, had a portable O2 tank on it with an undated O2 nasal cannula tubing attached to it hanging towards the floor. Review of resident 3's electronic medical record (EMR) revealed:*He was admitted on [DATE].*His diagnoses included emphysema (a chronic lung disease), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (a lung disease that blocks airflow and makes it hard to breathe) (COPD), obstructive sleep apnea (a chronic condition in which the throat muscles relax during sleep and the airway may become partially or fully blocked), and dementia (a group of symptoms affecting memory, thinking, and social abilities).*His 7/31/25 Minimum Data Set assessment indicated his speech was unclear, with slurred or mumbled words, and he sometimes made himself understood with limited ability to make concrete requests.*A 2/24/23 physician order indicated Change oxygen and/or nebulizer [a device that converts liquid medication into an inhalable mist] equipment and clean filters one time a day every 2 [two] weeks on FRI [Friday] for infection control. *A 12/20/24 physician's order indicated ensure that oxygen is in place and oxygen in tank two times a day.*A 2/19/25 physician order indicated Oxygen continuously at 3L [liters] per nasal cannula.Keep oxygen levels above 90% [percent].*His current care plan included:- I have COPD and acute on chronic respiratory failure.- I have obstructive sleep apnea and I wear oxygen at night and throughout the day to maintain my oxygen SATs [saturation level].- I have an oxygen tank in my wheelchair. I sometimes do not want to wear the oxygen and will take it off at my discretion. I often will become distressed by this decision. Please encourage me to always keep it on. Observation and interview on 8/13/25, starting at 9:30 a.m. in resident 3's room revealed:*Resident 3 was in bed and was not wearing his oxygen. His undated O2 nasal cannula tubing was on the floor in front of his O2 concentrator.*At 9:34 a.m. CNA K and CNA L entered resident 3's room.-CNA L shut off resident 3's O2 concentrator, picked the nasal cannula up off the floor, coiled up the nasal cannula tubing, and placed it in a blue bag that hung from his dresser drawer.--CNA K explained that the blue bag was where resident 3's oxygen nasal cannula was to be stored when he was not wearing it between uses.*CNA K stated that the red spots on resident 3's pillow and t-shirt were blood from his bloody nose. She thought that his nose was dry from his oxygen use.*CNA L and CNA K assisted resident 3 with personal hygiene, using the toilet, and getting dressed, and then assisted him into his wheelchair.-Resident 3 had not worn his oxygen during any of those activities.*Resident 3's nose bled off and on. He wiped his nose several times with his hand, and CNA K used a tissue and blotted blood from his left nostril.*Once seated in his wheelchair, resident 3 communicated with CNA L and CNA K with grunting sounds and gestures. He pointed to his O2 concentrator and touched his face several times. He took deep breaths, leaned forward, and appeared frustrated.*CNA K stated that she needed a new oxygen tank for resident 3's wheelchair and that she would put his oxygen on as soon as she changed that tank. She then left his room while pushing him in his wheelchair. Observation and interview on 8/13/25 at 10:01 a.m. with CNA K and resident 3 in the oxygen storage room revealed:*At 10:02 a.m. CNA K placed the nasal cannula that had been attached to the portable oxygen tank on resident 3 and turned it on. She stated he received three liters of oxygen.-Resident 3 had been without oxygen for at least 30 minutes.*CNA K confirmed that resident 3 was to always wear his oxygen, that she had not tried to put his oxygen on him before that time, but that he was known to remove his oxygen when he was agitated.*CNA K did not know how often the nasal cannula tubing was to be replaced because the nurse did that.*She did not monitor resident 3's oxygen saturation (percentage of oxygen in the blood) levels during the above observation. Observation and interview on 8/13/25 at 10:44 a.m. with RN J in resident 3's room revealed:*She stated that resident 3's humidifier had been empty that morning when she filled it with distilled water.*Residents' O2 tubing, nasal cannulas, humidifiers and concentrator filters were to be changed every two weeks and documented on the TAR.*She removed resident 3's nasal cannula from the blue bag and confirmed that the nasal cannula was not labeled.*After having been informed of the above observations of CNA L having picked that nasal cannula up off the floor, coiled it up, and placed it in the blue bag, RN J stated that resident 3 often removed his nasal cannula. She stated that earlier that morning, she had picked it up off his fall mat, and he had allowed her to put it back on. RN J then placed the nasal cannula back into the blue bag that hung from his dresser handle.*She expected CNA L and CNA K to have attempted to put resident 3's nasal cannula back on him and to have encouraged him to wear his oxygen because it was ordered by the physician to be on continuously.*RN J confirmed that there was no filter on the back of resident 3's concentrator and that the service sticker indicated it had been due for service on 7/25. She did not know who serviced the concentrators. 2. Observation and interview on 8/12/25 at 9:39 a.m. with resident 28 and two family members in her room revealed:*Resident 28 wore oxygen every night and occasionally during the day when she had difficulty breathing.-She felt that the facility was very dry and she often had a dry nose and throat.*Resident 28's family member stated they had put a large plant in resident 28's room to add some moisture.*There was an O2 concentrator next to resident 28's bed.-An orange medical supply service sticker indicated that the concentrator had been serviced on 7/30/24 and was due for service on 7/25.*There were two one-gallon jugs of distilled water behind resident 28's recliner.*Resident 28 stated that she had an O2 humidifier on the O2 concentrator when she came to the facility, but there had been a problem with that humidifier. The humidifier had been removed, but it had not been replaced. Review of resident 28's EMR revealed:*She was admitted on [DATE].*Her diagnoses included chronic bronchitis (a respiratory condition with a persistent cough) and COPD.*Her 7/8/25 BIMS assessment score was 13, which indicated she was cognitively intact.*A 2/13/25 physician order indicated Oxygen at 1L/NC [1 liter per nasal cannula]at bedtime for [to] Keep SpO2 [oxygen saturation levels] > [greater than] 90%.*Her care plan did not address her use of supplemental oxygen. 3. Interview on 8/13/25 at 11:00 a.m. with interim director of nursing (IDON) B and administrator A revealed they had been aware that the O2 concentrators had been due for services. Administrator A had planned to call to schedule that service but had forgotten. 4. Observation on 8/13/25 at 11:05 a.m. with IDON B in resident 3's room revealed IDON B:*Stated resident 3's O2 concentrator was provided by the Veterans Administration, but was to be serviced by the facility.*Confirmed resident 3's concentrators had been due for service on 7/25.*IDON B expected:-Resident 3's O2 humidifier to have been refilled, when empty, by a CNA or a nurse when they assisted resident 3 with putting on or taking off his oxygen in his room.--She had not been aware that resident 3 had a bloody nose or that the humidifier had been empty for two days.-Resident 3's O2 concentrator filter to have been replaced when it was missing by the facility.-CNA L to have discarded resident 3's nasal cannula tubing when it had been found on the floor and notified the nurse for a replacement nasal cannula.-CNA L and CNA K to have encouraged resident 3 to wear his oxygen during activities of dressing, using the toilet, and personal hygiene.-RN J to have discarded and replaced resident 3's nasal cannula tubing when notified that it had been on the floor.-The nasal cannula and oxygen tubing to have been changed and dated every two weeks. Observation on 8/13/25 at 11:08 a.m. with IDON B in resident 28's room revealed IDON B confirmed resident 28's concentrators had been due for service on 7/25. 5. Interview and review of resident 28's care plan on 8/13/25 at 2:52 p.m. with IDON B revealed:*Resident 28 had not required oxygen until about one month after she was admitted to the facility.*IDON B expected resident 28's use of nighttime oxygen to have been added to her care plan when she began using oxygen.*IDON B was unaware that there had been a problem with resident 28's O2 humidifier or that it had been removed.*Resident 28's use of the humidifier did not require a physician's order, and they should have replaced it. 6. Review of the provider's April 2009 Oxygen Concentrator Operator's Manual revealed:*DO NOT operate the concentrator without the filter installed.*Remove each filter and clean at least once a week. Only qualified personnel should perform preventative maintenance on the concentrator.*At a minimum, preventative maintenance MUST be performed according to the maintenance record guidelines.every 4,380 hours. (4,380 hours are equivalent to usage 24 hours a day, 7 [seven] days a week for 6 [six] months. Review of the provider 1/1/2019 Oxygen Concentrator policy revealed:*Purpose: To deliver oxygen in a safe manner. To keep oxygen equipment clean and maintained in good condition.*It was their policy to perform nursing functions in compliance with State and Federal Regulations and with practices/procedures that are widely accepted across the nursing industry.*Change tubing, cannula or mask and clean filters located on the concentrator every other week as schedule[d] on TAR.*Fill humidifier jar half full of distilled water, if used.*The policy did not address discarding potentially contaminated oxygen equipment, servicing of the concentrator, following the physician's order, or care planning for the use of oxygen.