cms_GA: 881

In collaboration with The Seattle Times, Big Local News is providing full-text nursing home deficiencies from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). These files contain the full narrative details of each nursing home deficiency cited regulators. The files include deficiencies from Standard Surveys (routine inspections) and from Complaint Surveys. Complete data begins January 2011 (although some earlier inspections do show up). Individual states are provides as CSV files. A very large (4.5GB) national file is also provided as a zipped archive. New data will be updated on a monthly basis. For additional documentation, please see the README.

This data as json, copyable

rowid	facility_name	facility_id	address	city	state	zip	inspection_date	deficiency_tag	scope_severity	complaint	standard	eventid	inspection_text	filedate
881	PRUITTHEALTH - TOCCOA	115345	633 FALLS ROAD	TOCCOA	GA	30577	2017-03-30	465	B	0	1	K22H11	Based on observation, interview, and review of facility policy, it was determined the facility failed to develop a system to ensure the smoking aprons for eight smokers were properly sanitized. The facility stored the residents' smoking aprons in the soiled utility room, and was unable to identify a system to ensure the common use smoking aprons were thoroughly cleaned after daily use. Findings include: Observation on 3/29/17 at 9:03 a.m. revealed six residents in the outside smoking area supervised by an activities staff member. Four of the six residents were wearing a smoking apron. Further observation revealed 12 smoking aprons stored in the facility soiled utility room next to the nursing station between the Blue and Magnolia Units. The smoking aprons were gray in color with stains and the neck and waist straps were white in color but dirty. One smoking apron was missing the neck straps; another smoking apron was missing the waist straps; and another smoking apron was completely frayed around the edges of the neck collar. Two smoking aprons were on the floor by the mop bucket. Interview with the Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Supervisor AA on Magnolia Unit at 3/29/17 at 11:30 a.m. revealed the smoking aprons were stored at one time in the medication and room folded up. It was decided this was not good since the folding would cause the aprons to crease and crack. Storage was then switched to the dirty utility room so the aprons could be hung up. Aprons are not assigned to the smoking residents. She had no idea why it was decided to store the apron in the soiled utility room. Supervisor AA further stated she did not know how often or when the smoking aprons were cleaned. On 3/29/17 at 11:50 a.m. interview with the Assistant Director of Health Services (ADHS) at the nurses' station between the Blue Unit and Magnolia Unit revealed she has worked at the facility for seven months and did not know anything about cleaning the aprons or why they are stored in the soiled utility room. The ADHS stated she would find out. Interview on 3/29/17 at 2:10 p.m. with the Activity Staff KK in the smoking area revealed the smoking aprons have always been stored in the soiled utility room since she started working at the facility less than a year ago. Activity staff KK was unaware if there was a policy for cleaning the smoking aprons. According to the facility policy the resident is to wear a smoking apron while smoking. However the smoking aprons are not individually assigned to the residents. The staff member could not identify who was responsible for cleaning the smoking aprons or the frequency. On 3/29/17 at 4:00 p.m. interview with the Director of Health Services (DHS) in front of the soiled utility room revealed she was unaware of where the staff stored the smoking aprons for the facility smokers. The DHS was shown the smoking aprons were stored in the soiled utility room and she expressed surprise at the location of the storage area. The DHS was asked to examine the smoking aprons and she acknowledged the aprons were dirty and grimy. The DHS was unaware if there was a policy or procedure for the storage and cleaning of the smoking aprons. The DHS also stated the Activities Department was responsible for monitoring the smokers and storage of the smoking materials. On 3/30/17 at 8:30 a.m. interview with the Activity Director HH by the soiled utility room revealed the activities staff supervises the smokers at break time and assist with distributing the residents' cigarettes. Housekeeping is responsible for cleaning the smoking areas in the evening. The Activity Director was not sure who was responsible for cleaning the aprons; and did not know if there was a policy, procedure or record maintained for cleaning the smoking apron. The Activity Director acknowledged the apron straps looked grimy and dirty. States the residents are not assigned their own aprons. But stated it would be a good idea for each smoker to have their own individual apron to avoid the transmission of germs/organisms. The Activity Director believes the central supply staff is responsible for ordering new aprons. Interview on 3/30/17 at 9:03 a.m. in the soiled utility room with the central supply staff (Staff member II) who is responsible for ordering facility supplies including the smoking aprons. Central Supply Staff II states the staff informs her when new smoking aprons are needed, and does not remember exactly when the smoking aprons were ordered but believes they were ordered sometime this year. Surveyor requested that she pull the order forms to determine when the smoking aprons were last ordered. Staff member II also states she doesn't know if the aprons comes with care instructions but will call her distributor to see if he can send that information. An additional interview with Central supply staff II 20 minutes later revealed the aprons have a label that documents the following: Do not launder but wiped down with a spray type cleaner and damp cloth. But the staff member does not know how often this is done or by whom. The interviewee also acknowledged the aprons did look dirty. Review of the facility's policy titled Smoke Free Policy with a revision date on 1/10/17 revealed the policy does not address the use and care of the residents' smoking aprons. The facility failed to have an effective sanitary system in place for the storage and cleanliness of residents smoking aprons.	2020-09-01