North Ridge Health and Rehab: Tube Feeding Aspiration Risk - MN
That's what inspectors found during a March 2025 visit to the facility at 5430 Boone Avenue North. The resident, identified in inspection records as R129, was receiving nutrition through a gastric tube via continuous pump when the head of their bed was lowered, a position that significantly raises the risk of aspiration, the dangerous and potentially fatal entry of fluid into the lungs.
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See the Derila PillowRN-Q, the nurse responsible for R129's care, told inspectors she would have expected the nursing aide to find her, or another nurse, before lowering the bed. She said she would be worried about the resident aspirating if the feeding was not paused first. Then inspectors walked into R129's room with her. The tube feeding was actively running. It had not been paused.
The nurse manager, identified as RN-J, said the same thing when interviewed the following day. She would expect nursing aides to come find a nurse, including herself, before lowering the head of the bed. She, too, said aspiration was her concern.
Two nurses. The same answer. And nobody had stopped the feed.
What makes the lapse harder to explain away is what inspectors found when they reviewed the facility's own written policies. North Ridge had two documents covering tube feeding: one titled "Gastric Tube Feeding Via Continuous Pump," dated May 2024, and another titled "Enteral Nutrition F693," dated October 2024. Inspectors reviewed both. Neither policy addressed aspiration prevention. Neither addressed what staff should do before repositioning a resident who is actively receiving a tube feeding.
The policies existed. They just didn't cover the thing that mattered.
Inspectors also noted that neither policy addressed the labeling and dating of supplies and solutions used in tube feeding, a basic infection prevention measure. That gap went unremarked on by staff during interviews.
The inspection record categorizes the level of harm as minimal harm or potential for actual harm, and notes that few residents were affected. Those designations reflect regulatory language, not a reassurance. Aspiration in a tube-fed resident can cause aspiration pneumonia, a serious and sometimes fatal condition, particularly in elderly or medically fragile patients. The two nurses who spoke with inspectors understood that. They said so directly.
What the inspection record does not show is any indication that the aide who lowered the bed without pausing the feed did so knowing it was wrong and choosing to proceed anyway. The more likely explanation, and the more troubling one from a systems standpoint, is that the aide simply didn't know. The policy they would have turned to for guidance said nothing about it.
North Ridge did not dispute the finding. The facility's plan of correction was not included in the inspection document reviewed, and residents and families seeking information about the corrective steps taken are directed to contact the facility or the state survey agency directly.
R129 was still receiving the tube feeding when RN-Q confirmed the violation to inspectors. The feed had been running the entire time.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for North Ridge Health and Rehab from 2025-03-07 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
Additional Resources
Data source: This article is based on inspection data downloaded directly from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) via Medicare.gov. CMS releases inspection reports in bulk; we publish the findings as documented by state surveyors in the official Form CMS-2567 Statement of Deficiencies.
Plan of correction: The CMS report we receive does not include the facility's plan of correction. Facilities submit plans of correction separately to state survey agencies and those responses may not be reflected in CMS data at the time of publication. The absence of a plan of correction in our data does not mean one was not filed. Readers who want information about corrective steps taken are encouraged to contact the facility directly or their state survey agency.
Corrections may have occurred: Inspection reports reflect conditions observed on the date of the survey. Facilities may have implemented corrections, staffing changes, additional training, or other remediation since the report was issued. We report what CMS provides and encourage readers to seek current information from the facility.
Editorial process: Inspection findings are extracted from CMS source documents and synthesized using AI, reviewed for factual accuracy against the original report by our editorial team.
Corrections: We strive for accuracy in everything we publish. If you believe any fact in this article is incorrect, please contact us with details, and we will review and correct it promptly.
Professional review: All content reviewed by Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr., NH EMT & BU-trained Paralegal.
Last verified: November 12, 2026 · Our methodology
NORTH RIDGE HEALTH AND REHAB in NEW HOPE, MN was cited for violations during a health inspection on March 7, 2025.
That's what inspectors found during a March 2025 visit to the facility at 5430 Boone Avenue North.
Health inspections identify deficiencies that facilities must correct. Violations range from minor documentation issues to serious safety concerns. Review the full report below for specific details and facility response.