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Inspection visit

Health inspection

Nexus at PalosCMS #1456501 citation on this visit
1 citation recorded

Inspector’s narrative

What the inspector wrote

This survey cited 1 deficiency. The full statement and the facility’s plan of correction follow, verbatim from the federal record.

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

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Citations

1 citation recorded*CMS

What do CMS severity letters mean?

Serious (G-L). Actual harm to a resident, or immediate jeopardy. Codes G through I indicate actual harm; J through L indicate immediate jeopardy to resident health or safety.

General (A-F). No actual harm found, or harm that is minimal. The facility must still submit a Plan of Correction. Most CMS citations land here.

Each letter combines severity with scope: how many residents the deficiency affected.

  • 0695GeneralS&S Dpotential for harm

    F695 - Respiratory care, including tracheostomy care and tracheal suctioning

    Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.

FAQ · About this visit

Common questions about this visit

What happened during the February 4, 2026 survey of Nexus at Palos?

This was a inspection survey of Nexus at Palos on February 4, 2026. The surveyor cited 1 deficiency, recorded on the federal Form 2567 statement of deficiencies.

Were any deficiencies cited at Nexus at Palos on February 4, 2026?

Yes, 1 deficiency was cited, each with a CMS Scope and Severity grade. The first was: "Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed."

What type of survey was this?

This was a inspection survey conducted by state surveyors under federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) oversight. Findings are published on CMS Care Compare.

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Data from CMS Care Compare public records. Dataset last refreshed . If you believe any information is inaccurate, report it here.