Mesa Glen Care Center: Nurse Throws Juice at Resident - CA
The September 2nd incident at Mesa Glen Care Center involved a resident known for verbal aggression and fluctuating behaviors. RN 1 had approached the resident's room to administer medications when the patient began cursing. The nurse decided to medicate another resident first and return later.
When RN 1 came back, the resident continued using foul language as the nurse offered juice to accompany the medications. The resident threw the juice at RN 1's face and clothes, then slapped the medications from the nurse's hand.
RN 1 returned to the medication cart, got another cup of juice, walked back to the resident's room, and threw it at the patient's face and chest. The resident began yelling and screaming profanities as RN 1 left the room.
Nobody reported the incident immediately.
The next evening, September 8th at 10:53 p.m., RN 1 sent a text message to RN 2: "I actually got mad when Resident 1 threw juice to my face that I went back to the cart to pour more juice and threw it back at Resident 1."
RN 2 didn't see the message until driving to work the following morning. RN 2 immediately contacted the facility administrator and reported what RN 1 had written.
During a phone interview with federal inspectors, RN 1 explained her reasoning. She said that since therapeutic medication wasn't working for the resident, she thought mirroring the patient's behavior would discourage repetition. RN 1 acknowledged that throwing juice at the resident wasn't allowed but insisted the patient wasn't harmed because "nothing heavy was thrown."
A certified nursing assistant witnessed the entire incident. CNA 2 told inspectors that after the resident threw juice on both CNA 2 and RN 1, CNA 2 picked up the cup and returned it to RN 1. The nurse then went back to the medication cart, got more juice, returned to the room, and threw it in the resident's face and chest before leaving.
The resident was known for aggressive behaviors that staff typically managed through various approaches. LVN 1 told inspectors that when the resident became aggressive, staff would try responding to their needs, using prescribed medications, or talking with them. If nothing worked, staff would give the resident time alone and return later.
Staff described the resident's aggression as purely verbal, not physical.
The facility's Assistant Vice President for Operations called what happened to the resident "a horrible experience" and said RN 1 should not have thrown juice at the patient. The executive stated the resident "should not have experienced abuse from RN 1."
The administrator, who also serves as the facility's abuse coordinator, told inspectors that all staff receive education on different types of abuse including verbal, physical, neglect, financial, mental, sexual, seclusion, mistreatment, abandonment, and misappropriation of property. Staff are required to report any suspected abuse to the abuse coordinator immediately upon becoming aware of it.
The abuse coordinator's role includes investigating allegations of abuse and ensuring an abuse-free environment.
Mesa Glen Care Center's abuse prevention policy defines abuse as "the willful inflictions of injury, involuntary seclusions, physical, or chemical restraint not required to treat the residents' symptoms, intimidation or punishment with resulting physical harm, pain, or mental anguish."
The policy specifically addresses situations like this one, noting that understanding behaviors and symptoms of residents that may increase the risk of abuse can help staff respond appropriately. These symptoms include "aggressive and/or catastrophic reactions of residents, and outbursts or yelling out."
The facility's resident rights policy, dated February 2021, requires employees to treat all residents with "kindness, respect, and dignity." It states that federal and state laws guarantee basic rights to all residents, including the right to be free from abuse, neglect, misappropriation of property, and exploitation.
The inspection occurred after a complaint was filed about the incident. Federal investigators classified the violation as causing minimal harm or potential for actual harm, affecting few residents.
The case illustrates a fundamental breakdown in professional standards and reporting protocols. Despite comprehensive policies and training on abuse prevention, a licensed nurse chose to retaliate against a vulnerable resident experiencing behavioral symptoms of their condition.
The delay in reporting compounded the problem. RN 1 worked an entire shift the day after throwing juice at the resident without telling anyone what had happened. Only a casual text message to a colleague the following evening brought the incident to light.
The resident involved continues to live at Mesa Glen Care Center, where staff are supposed to manage challenging behaviors through therapeutic intervention rather than retaliation. The facility's own policies acknowledge that residents with dementia or other conditions may exhibit aggressive behaviors that require skilled, compassionate response.
RN 1's admission that she got "mad" and decided to mirror the resident's behavior represents exactly the kind of unprofessional conduct that federal regulations are designed to prevent in nursing homes.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Mesa Glen Care Center from 2025-09-10 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
Additional Resources
Data source: Official federal inspection data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Editorial process: AI-synthesized regulatory data, reviewed for accuracy by our editorial team.
Professional review: All content reviewed by Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr., NH EMT & BU-trained Paralegal.
Last verified: June 20, 2026 · Our methodology
Mesa Glen Care Center in GLENDORA, CA was cited for violations during a health inspection on September 10, 2025.
The September 2nd incident at Mesa Glen Care Center involved a resident known for verbal aggression and fluctuating behaviors.
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.