Inspector’s narrative
What the inspector wrote
The investigation consisted of the following:
On 07/24/2025, facility records were gathered. On 08/22/2025, a tour of the facility was conducted, interviews were conducted, and facility records were gathered. A tour of the facility consisted of the medication room and kitchen. Interviews consisted of Witness 1 (W1), Resident 1 (R1) to Resident (6), and Staff 1 (S1) to Staff (7). On 08/25/2025, Staff 8 (S8) was interviewed. On 12/11/2025, interviews were conducted, records were gathered and reviewed. Interviews consisted of Witness 2 (W2), Resident 7 (R7) to Resident 11 (R11), and Staff 9 (S9). On 12/12/2025, a tour of the Medication Room was conducted, interviews were conducted, records were gathered and reviewed. Interviews consisted of R5, R7, R10, Resident 12 (R12) to Resident 14 (R14), Staff 10 (S10), and Witness 3 (W3). R1’s to R15’s records were reviewed which consisted of Medication Administration Records (MARs), Physicians Reports, and Residents that Receives Daily Insulin/Boold Sugar Checks. Facility records reviewed consisted of Personnel Reports, Resident Rosters, Schedule Reports, Staff Training's. Other pertinent records were also reviewed during this investigation.
Investigation revealed the following:
Allegation: “Staff do not ensure an appropriate skilled professional is administering insulin to residents.”
Interviews conducted revealed the following:
On 08/22/2025, W1 indicated that there was no Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) in the morning shifts, and a Medical Technician (MedTech) was providing insulin and providing blood sugar checks to residents.
On 08/22/2025, S1 indicated that they are the only LVN in the facility and they work Monday to Friday from 7 AM to 4 PM. Moreover, S1 indicated that recently they started to work weekend shifts. Furthermore, S1 indicated that they “usually make it” to provide residents with their injections and blood sugar checks. S1 was asked what happens when they do not make it and S1 did not answer the question.
On 08/22/2025, S2 indicated that S1 does not come in during the weekends and residents do not receive their injections nor blood sugar checks on the weekends.
On 08/22/2025, S3 indicated that S1 sometimes comes in during the weekends and sometimes agency LVNs (the facility contracts agency staff when they are short staffed) come in during the weekends but sometimes no LVNs come during the weekends; S3 is not sure what happens when no LVNs come in.
On 08/22/2025, S7 indicated that before there were no LVNs in the facility during the weekends and a MedTech had to come in the facility and provide injections and blood sugar checks to residents.
On 08/25/2025, S8 indicated that they have witnessed MedTech’s provide injections and blood sugar checks to residents. Furthermore, S8 explains that the facility has requested for them to provide injections and blood sugar checks to residents because the LVN was not in the facility, S8 declined and indicated, that day, residents did not receive their injections nor blood sugar checks.
On 12/11/2025, S9 indicated that they have heard of a MedTech providing injections and blood sugar checks to residents.
On 12/12/2025, S10 indicated that on 12/10/2025 an agency LVN did not provide injections nor blood sugar checks to residents.
On 12/12/2025, W3 confirmed that an agency LVN did not provide injections nor blood sugar check to residents. W3 explained that on 12/11/2025 residents informed them that they were upset that they did not receive their insulin injections nor blood sugar checks.
Interviews conducted with R1 to R14 revealed the following: 6 out of 14 residents agreed with the allegation; indicating that there have been days when a MedTech provided them with blood sugar checks and when they did not receive their insulin injection, injection, nor blood sugar check. 6 out of 14 residents are not sure if there have been days when they have missed an injection or blood sugar check. 2 out of 14 residents are certain that a nurse provides them with their medication as required by their physician.
Records reviewed revealed the following:
Personnel Report dated 7/7/2025, indicated that S1’s job title is “LVN”, and their schedule is Monday to Friday from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM, as well as S1 is the only LVN in the facility.
S1 holds a State of California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians License for Vocational Nurse.
Personnel Report dated 12/09/2025, showed that there is no LVN in the report.
Residents Physician’s Reports revealed the following: Physician’s Reports for R1, R4, R9, R7, R10, R13, R14, and R15 indicated that residents cannot manage their own medication including providing themselves with injections and performing their own glucose testing (blood sugar checks). Physician’s Report for R5 indicated that resident can provide their own injections with assistance, but they are not able to perform their own glucose testing. Physician’s Report for R11 indicated that resident can provide their own injections but requires their insulin dosage to be drawn before self-injections, and they are not able to perform their own glucose testing.
Residents MARs revealed the following: According to R1’s MAR they did not receive their “AM” blood sugar check and insulin injection on 06/02/2025 and 06/19/2025; R1 did not receive their “PM” blood sugar checks and “PM” insulin injections on 05/10/2025, 05/11/2025, 05/17/2025, 05/18/2025, 05/25/2025, 06/07/2025, 06/15/2025, and 07/20/2025. According to R4’s MAR they did not receive their “AM” blood sugar check from 05/03/2025 to 05/31/2025; R4 did not receive their “PM” blood sugar check and insulin injection on 05/10/2025, 05/11/2025, 05/25/2025, 6/7/2025, 06/15/2025, 06/31/2025, and 7/20/2025; R4 did not receive their Ozempic injection on 07/10/2025 and 07/17/2025. According to R5’s MAR they did not receive their “PM” blood sugar checks and “PM” insulin injections on 05/10/2025, 05/11/2025, 05/18/2025, 05/25/2025, 06/07/2025, 06/09/2025, 06/15/2025, and 12/10/2025; R5 did not receive their “PM” insulin injection on 07/20/2025. According to R7’s MAR they did not receive their “AM” blood sugar check and insulin injection on 06/19/2025 and 12/10/2025; R7 did not receive their “PM” blood sugar checks and “PM” insulin injections on 05/10/2025, 05/11/2025, 05/18/2025, 06/07/2025, 06/15/2025, 07/20/2025, and 12/10/2025. According to R8’s MAR they did not receive their “AM” blood sugar check and insulin injection on 06/19/2025. According to R10’s MAR they did not receive their “AM” blood sugar check and insulin injection on 05/27/2025, 06/19/2025, 07/11/2025, and 12/10/2025. According to R12’s MAR they did not receive their 4:00 PM blood sugar check on 12/04/2025 and 12/06/2025; R12 did not receive their 8:00 AM blood sugar check on 12/10/2025. According to R14’s MAR they did not receive their 8:00 AM insulin injection on 12/10/2025.
Schedule Reports revealed the following: From 06/29/2025 to 7/26/2025 and 08/10/2025 to 08/30/2025, S1 is scheduled from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM and “Open As Needed” on Saturdays and Sundays. From 08/03/2025 to 08/09/2025, S1 was scheduled off.
S1’s Time Card Reports from 05/01/2025 to 07/31/2025 revealed the following: S1 did not work on 05/10/2025, 06/07/2025, 06/09/2025, and 07/11/2025. S1 did not work in the afternoon and evening of 05/11/2025, 05/18/2025, 06/10/2015, and 07/25/2025. S1 did not work early in the early morning, afternoon and evening time on 05/25/2025. S1 did not work early in the morning and evening of 06/15/2025. S1 did not work from 8:00 AM to 11:59 PM on 06/05/2025. S1 did not work in the morning and afternoon of 07/05/2025.
Observations revealed the following:
Pictures taken in the medication room show that injection needles were improperly discarded. Injection needles were in white trash bags. On 8/22/2025, LPA Leandro toured the medication room and confirmed that said pictures were taken in the facility's medication room.
On 12/12/2025, the medication room’s refrigerator was at 55 degrees Fahrenheit. The refrigerator had insulin medication and other medications that had to be refrigerated at 36 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit. The facilities freezer had a large block of ice on the bottom and a soda inside it next to ice packs. The refrigerator/freezer have a sign that states “Please Do Not Store Food.”
Substantiated: Based on interviews, observations, and records reviewed the preponderance of evidence standard has been met, therefore the above allegation is found to be substantiated. California Code of Regulations, Title 22, Division 6 and Chapter 8 is being cited on the attached LIC 9099D.
An exit interview was conducted, Plans of Corrections were reviewed and developed. A copy of this report and appeal rights were discussed and left with the Executive Director, Jennifer Rivas.
