F 0695
Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.
Level of Harm - Minimal harm
or potential for actual harm
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on
observations, interviews, and record review, the facility failed to provide an inner canula to the tracheostomy
for one resident (R6) during tracheostomy care. This failure affected one (R6) of three residents reviewed
for tracheostomy care.Findings include:R6 is a [AGE] year-old resident admitted to the facility on [DATE]
with diagnoses including but not limited to cardiac arrest with anoxic brain injury, chronic respiratory failure
with hypoxia, tracheostomy and gastrostomy tube, and heart failure. On the (MDS) Minimal Data Set
assessment of section C on 01/18/2026, the BIMS (Brief Interviewed Mental Status) section C1000,
Cognitive Skills for Daily Decision Making, shows R6 is severely impaired. MDS section GG of 1/18/2026
GG, R6 is dependent care - Helper does all the effort. Residents do none of the effort to complete the
activity. The assistance of 2 or more helpers is required for the residents to complete the activity. R6's
physician order dated 1/16/2026 reads in part, change inner cannula twice daily every day and night shift,
and Trach: Shiley- Size: 8 FLEXES. On 2/3/2026 at 09:40 AM, the surveyor observed the tracheostomy
without the inner canula and requested V7 (Respiratory Therapist) remove the tracheostomy mask and
check the tracheostomy. V7 said, I do not see an inner canula inside the tracheostomy and (R6) is
supposed to have one. I will call another respiratory therapist to help me. When questioned, V7 said, I
rounded on (R6) around 8:00-8:30 AM when I gave her breathing treatment earlier today. V7 could not say
why the inner canula was not there. At 10:07 AM V6 (Respiratory Therapist) came into the room to assess
the tracheostomy and checked for the inner canula and said, I do not see one and (R6) should have an
inner cannula with the trach. I usually assess the resident first thing in the morning by auscultating,
checking lung sounds, oxygen saturation, heart rate and swap dressing, ties twice a week or as needed
and the inner canula should be changed twice a day. The inner cannula is a safe feature that allows the
quick removal of a mucus plug and removes any obstruction. If a mucus plug occurs without an inner
cannula, the whole trach needs to be removed and replaced. 2/3/2026 at 12:33 PM, V12 (Respiratory
Therapist Director) said, I expect the staff to change the inner cannula during tracheostomy care every shift
or as needed. (R6) is expected to have an inner cannula in place, and the respiratory therapist is expected
to assess during initial rounds and make sure it is in place. The inner cannula helps to avoid a mucus plug,
and when there is one, just pick it up and remove the cannula and remove the plug. We can do lavage if
there is a mucus plug, and we use aerosol, which prevents it. On 2/3/2026 at 4:37 PM, V3 (Director of
Nursing) provided facility policy Title Tracheostomy Care Policy revised 10/2024. Which reads in part (but
not limited to):PURPOSE: To provide guidelines for maintaining an unobstructed airway and preventing
infection in residents with a tracheostomy.POLICY: It is the policy of this facility that residents with
tracheostomies receive routine care to maintain a patent airway, that aseptic technique is used during
dressing changes until the tracheostomy is healed, and a physician's order is obtained for tracheostomy
care.EQUIPMENT: Tracheostomy care kit, Sterile water (if not in kit), Inner cannula if disposable, Suction kit
or
Residents Affected - Few
(continued on next page)
Any deficiency statement ending with an asterisk (*) denotes a deficiency which the institution may be excused from correcting providing it is determined that other
safeguards provide sufficient protection to the patients. (See instructions.) Except for nursing homes, the findings stated above are disclosable 90 days following the
date of survey whether or not a plan of correction is provided. For nursing homes, the above findings and plans of correction are disclosable 14 days following the date
these documents are made available to the facility. If deficiencies are cited, an approved plan of correction is requisite to continued program participation.
LABORATORY DIRECTOR'S OR PROVIDER/SUPPLIER
REPRESENTATIVE'S SIGNATURE
TITLE
(X6) DATE
FORM CMS-2567 (02/99)
Previous Versions Obsolete
Facility ID:
If continuation sheet
Page 1 of 2
Event ID:
145650
Printed: 05/15/2026
Form Approved OMB
No. 0938-0391
Department of Health & Human Services
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
STATEMENT OF DEFICIENCIES
AND PLAN OF CORRECTION
(X1) PROVIDER/SUPPLIER/CLIA
IDENTIFICATION NUMBER:
(X2) MULTIPLE CONSTRUCTION
145650
B. Wing
A. Building
(X3) DATE SURVEY
COMPLETED
02/04/2026
NAME OF PROVIDER OR SUPPLIER
STREET ADDRESS, CITY, STATE, ZIP CODE
Nexus at Palos
10426 South Roberts
Palos Hills, IL 60465
For information on the nursing home's plan to correct this deficiency, please contact the nursing home or the state survey agency.
(X4) ID PREFIX TAG
SUMMARY STATEMENT OF DEFICIENCIES
(Each deficiency must be preceded by full regulatory or LSC identifying information)
F 0695
Level of Harm - Minimal harm
or potential for actual harm
closed suction catheter, Tracheostomy tube holder.G. With clean hand, remove the inner cannula1. For
disposable cannula, insert new inner cannula and lock it into place; maintain sterility2. For reusable
cannula, reapply tracheostomy collar over outer cannula to provide oxygenation during cleaning; cleanse
secretions from outside and inside of inner cannula and rinse in sterile saline; gently reinsert cannula and
lock into place; maintain sterility (may use solution supplied in the tracheostomy care kit)
Residents Affected - Few
FORM CMS-2567 (02/99)
Previous Versions Obsolete
Event ID:
Facility ID:
145650
If continuation sheet
Page 2 of 2