Westview Nursing Home: Outdated Care Plans, 11 Violations, MO
CENTER, MO - State inspectors found that Westview Nursing Home failed to maintain current care plans for residents due to staffing changes that left critical coordination roles unfilled, according to a health inspection conducted on May 21, 2025.
Care Plan Updates Delayed by Remote Work Transition
The most significant violation identified during the inspection involved the facility's failure to keep resident care plans updated to reflect current medical needs and conditions. Care plans serve as essential roadmaps that guide daily treatment, medication administration, and therapeutic interventions for each resident.
According to the inspection report, the facility's Director of Nursing (DON) and interdisciplinary team held responsibility for maintaining these critical documents. However, the Administrator acknowledged that care plans were not being updated because the MDS Coordinator now worked remotely and was not present at the facility.
The MDS (Minimum Data Set) Coordinator plays a crucial role in nursing home operations, conducting comprehensive assessments of residents' physical, mental, and psychosocial functioning. These assessments directly inform individualized care plans that must be regularly updated as residents' conditions change.
Impact of Remote Coordination on Patient Care
When the MDS Coordinator worked on-site, the Administrator explained, the process functioned more effectively because "she was here for morning meetings and care plan meetings." The transition to remote work created a communication gap that prevented timely updates to resident care documentation.
Outdated care plans can have serious medical consequences. These documents contain vital information about medication regimens, dietary restrictions, fall risk assessments, wound care protocols, and behavioral interventions. When care plans don't reflect current conditions, staff may continue following outdated instructions that could be inappropriate or potentially harmful.
For example, a resident's fall risk status might change due to new medications or declining mobility, requiring updated prevention strategies. Similarly, wound care protocols must be modified as healing progresses or complications develop. Without current care plans, nursing staff lack the most recent clinical guidance needed to provide safe, effective care.
Regulatory Requirements for Care Plan Management
Federal nursing home regulations require facilities to develop comprehensive care plans within seven days of admission and update them whenever residents experience significant changes in condition. The interdisciplinary team, which typically includes nurses, social workers, dietary staff, and therapy professionals, must collaborate to ensure care plans remain accurate and relevant.
The facility's Administrator indicated that the DON and Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON) were "working on slowly getting the care plans updated" following the loss of in-house MDS coordination. However, this gradual approach to addressing the deficiency suggests that some residents may have continued receiving care based on outdated information.