St. Helena Parish NH: Assessment Data Failures - LA
Federal inspectors found the facility violated documentation requirements designed to protect vulnerable nursing home residents during transfers. The ombudsman office serves as an independent watchdog for long-term care facilities.
Resident #4 was admitted to St. Helena Parish Nursing Home and later transferred to a local hospital emergency room in August. The resident returned to the facility the same month. But when inspectors reviewed the facility's ombudsman emergency transfer log for August 2025, they found no record of the hospital transfer.
The facility's census change sheet for August also contained no documentation of the emergency room visit.
The administrator told inspectors that S3BOM was responsible for updating the emergency transfer log that provides written notice to the ombudsman for all resident transfers. But S3BOM said she relied on the census change sheet to know when transfers occurred.
"She was notified daily of all resident transfers through the Census Change Sheet," the inspection report states.
When S3BOM reviewed the August census change sheet with inspectors, she confirmed the resident's emergency room transfer wasn't documented. The administrator also confirmed the transfer should have been documented but wasn't.
The breakdown occurred at the nursing level. The resident's assigned nurse, S4LPN, admitted she didn't fill out the census change sheet when the resident was transferred to the emergency room.
"She stated she did not know she was required to complete the Census Change Sheet with each resident transfer to the hospital and/or emergency room," inspectors wrote.
The director of nursing told inspectors she expected all resident transfers to be documented on the census change sheet by their assigned nurse "to allow for the Ombudsman Transfer Log to be accurate."
Federal regulations require nursing homes to notify the state ombudsman within 24 hours of any transfer or discharge. The ombudsman program investigates complaints and advocates for nursing home residents' rights.
The documentation failure created a gap in oversight. When residents are transferred to hospitals, especially emergency rooms, it can signal potential problems with their care at the nursing home. The ombudsman office uses transfer notifications to monitor patterns and investigate when necessary.
St. Helena Parish Nursing Home operates on North 2nd Street in Greensburg, about 60 miles east of Baton Rouge. The facility serves residents in St. Helena Parish and surrounding rural communities.
The inspection occurred after a complaint was filed with state regulators. Inspectors reviewed four residents' records for admission, transfer and discharge requirements and found the documentation failure affected one resident.
The violation was classified as causing minimal harm or potential for actual harm to few residents. But it represents a systemic breakdown in the facility's transfer notification process.
The administrator acknowledged the facility's responsibility during interviews with inspectors. He confirmed that both the census change sheet and ombudsman transfer log should have documented the resident's emergency room visit.
The nursing staff's lack of knowledge about documentation requirements points to potential training gaps. The assigned nurse's admission that she didn't know about the census change sheet requirement suggests other transfers may have gone unreported.
S3BOM, who maintains the ombudsman log, followed proper procedures by checking the census change sheet daily. But the system failed when the nurse didn't complete the initial documentation.
The facility must now develop a plan of correction to address the documentation failure and ensure all future transfers are properly reported to the ombudsman office.
Federal inspectors completed their review on October 1, 2025. The facility has 14 days from receiving the inspection report to submit its correction plan to state regulators.
The resident who was transferred to the emergency room returned to St. Helena Parish Nursing Home, but the inspection report doesn't detail the medical circumstances that prompted the hospital visit or the resident's current condition.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for St. Helena Parish Nursing Home from 2025-10-01 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
St. Helena Parish Nursing Home in Greensburg, LA was cited for violations during a health inspection on October 1, 2025.
Federal inspectors found the facility violated documentation requirements designed to protect vulnerable nursing home residents during transfers.
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.