Inspection Report

South Valley Care Center: Nurse Hid Eye Infection - NM

June 28, 2026

Albuquerque, NM

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She did not write a single word in the resident's chart. She did not call the physician. She did not tell the Director of Nursing. Nobody else knew.

The violation came to light on September 10, 2025, when a federal inspector arrived at the facility on a complaint survey. That same afternoon, the nurse described what she had seen and done.

RN #1 told the inspector that on the morning of the inspection, the resident's left eye was closed, red, and covered in fluid and mucous. She said she wiped the eye with a warm washcloth. She acknowledged she had not documented the condition in the progress notes, had not notified the Director of Nursing, and had not contacted the physician.

That was the entirety of her response to a resident whose eye was visibly infected.

The Director of Nursing, interviewed three minutes later, said her expectation was clear: any change in a resident's condition gets reported to her and to the physician. She said staff had not reported the eye changes to her. She had not known. She had not been able to order further assessment or reach out to the provider.

The Administrator, interviewed about an hour after that, said the same thing in slightly different words. RN #1 should have reported the change to the DON. Communication of any resident change was her expectation. And then she said the quiet part plainly: if staff did not communicate a resident's eye change, the resident could have an adverse reaction if care was not provided.

That is the word the Administrator used. Adverse.

An eye that is closed, red, and draining fluid and mucous is not a minor inconvenience. Left untreated, an eye infection can spread. It can damage vision. In a nursing home resident, who may not be able to clearly articulate worsening pain, or may not have family visiting daily to notice a change, the window between a treatable infection and a serious one can close quickly. The nurse knew enough to wipe the eye. She did not know enough, or did not act on what she knew, to pick up the phone.

The inspection report does not say whether the resident received medical attention before or after the inspector arrived. It does not say whether a physician was ultimately called. It does not say what happened to the resident's eye.

What it says is that a nurse saw something wrong, addressed it in the most minimal way possible, and left no record that it ever happened.

The Director of Nursing found out when the inspector asked her about it. The Administrator found out the same way. The physician, as far as the inspection report reflects, may not have found out at all.

South Valley Care Center sits on Bowe Lane in the South Valley neighborhood of Albuquerque. The inspection was a complaint survey, meaning someone had already raised a concern about care at the facility before the inspector walked through the door.

The deficiency was cited at a level of harm described as minimal harm or potential for actual harm. Few residents were noted as affected.

Whether the resident whose eye was swollen shut that morning would describe the harm as minimal is not recorded anywhere. There is no progress note. There was never one written.

Full Inspection Report

The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for South Valley Care Center LLC from 2025-09-10 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.

Additional Resources

Editorial Standards

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 28, 2026 · Our methodology

Quick Answer

South Valley Care Center LLC in Albuquerque, NM was cited for violations during a health inspection on September 10, 2025.

She did not write a single word in the resident's chart.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened at South Valley Care Center LLC?

She did not write a single word in the resident's chart.

How serious are these violations?

Violation severity varies from minor documentation issues to serious safety concerns. Review the inspection report for specific deficiency codes and scope. All violations must be corrected within required timeframes and are subject to follow-up verification inspections.

What should families do?

Families should: (1) Ask facility administration about specific corrective actions taken, (2) Request to see the follow-up inspection report verifying corrections, (3) Check if this represents a pattern by reviewing prior inspection reports, (4) Compare this facility's ratings with other nursing homes in Albuquerque, NM, (5) Report any new concerns directly to state authorities.

Where can I see the full inspection report?

The complete inspection report is available on Medicare.gov's Care Compare website (www.medicare.gov/care-compare). You can also request a copy directly from South Valley Care Center LLC or from the state Department of Health. The report includes specific deficiency codes, facility responses, and correction timelines. This facility's federal provider number is 32E083.

Has this facility had violations before?

To check South Valley Care Center LLC's history, visit Medicare.gov's Care Compare and review their inspection history, quality ratings, and staffing levels. Look for patterns of repeated violations, especially in critical areas like abuse prevention, medication management, infection control, and resident safety.