CHEYENNE, WY — Federal health inspectors identified 7 deficiencies at Polaris Rehabilitation and Care Center following a complaint investigation completed on October 24, 2025, including a citation for failing to provide appropriate bladder and bowel continence care and proper catheter management.
Continence and Catheter Care Failures
The inspection, triggered by a formal complaint, found that Polaris Rehabilitation failed to meet federal standards under regulatory tag F0690, which requires nursing homes to provide appropriate care for residents who are continent or incontinent of bowel or bladder, deliver proper catheter care, and take appropriate steps to prevent urinary tract infections.
The deficiency was classified at Scope/Severity Level D, meaning it was isolated in nature and did not result in documented actual harm. However, inspectors determined there was potential for more than minimal harm to affected residents — a designation that signals real risk to resident health and safety.
Catheter-associated urinary tract infections, known as CAUTIs, are among the most common healthcare-associated infections in long-term care facilities. When catheter protocols are not followed correctly, bacteria can enter the urinary tract through the catheter insertion site or drainage system, leading to infections that can progress to sepsis, kidney damage, or hospitalization — particularly in elderly residents with compromised immune systems.
What Federal Standards Require
Under federal regulations, nursing homes must maintain comprehensive continence care programs that include individualized assessments of each resident's bladder and bowel function, toileting schedules tailored to residents' needs, and proper hygiene protocols for both continent and incontinent residents.
For residents with indwelling catheters, facilities are required to follow strict insertion, maintenance, and removal protocols. This includes regular evaluation of whether a catheter is still medically necessary, since the longer a catheter remains in place, the greater the infection risk. Best practices call for catheter removal as soon as clinically feasible, with facilities documenting clear medical justification for continued use.
Proper catheter care also involves maintaining a closed drainage system, securing the catheter to prevent movement and tissue trauma, keeping the collection bag below bladder level, and performing regular perineal hygiene. Failure at any point in this chain of care can introduce harmful bacteria.
Seven Deficiencies Raise Broader Concerns
The bladder care citation was one of 7 total deficiencies identified during the complaint investigation, suggesting a pattern of compliance issues at the facility rather than an isolated oversight. When federal inspectors find multiple deficiencies during a single survey — particularly one prompted by a complaint — it often points to systemic gaps in staff training, supervision, or quality assurance processes.
Complaint investigations differ from routine annual surveys in that they are specifically triggered by reports of potential problems, often from residents, family members, or staff. The fact that this investigation yielded seven separate citations indicates that the concerns prompting the complaint extended across multiple areas of care delivery.
Facility Response and Correction
Polaris Rehabilitation and Care Center reported correcting the deficiency as of November 21, 2025, approximately four weeks after the inspection. The facility's correction status is listed as "Deficient, Provider has date of correction," meaning the facility has submitted a plan of correction and reported a resolution date to regulators.
A plan of correction typically outlines the specific steps a facility will take to address identified problems, including staff retraining, policy revisions, and enhanced monitoring procedures. However, it is worth noting that a reported correction date does not guarantee the issue has been fully resolved — federal inspectors may conduct follow-up surveys to verify that corrective measures are in place and effective.
Understanding the Impact
Continence care is a fundamental measure of quality in nursing home settings. Residents who depend on staff for toileting assistance or catheter management are among the most vulnerable in any facility. Lapses in this area can lead to skin breakdown, infections, loss of dignity, and decreased quality of life.
Families with loved ones at Polaris Rehabilitation and Care Center may wish to review the facility's full inspection history, which is publicly available through Medicare's Care Compare tool. The complete inspection report contains additional details about all seven deficiencies cited during the October 2025 investigation.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Polaris Rehabilitation and Care Center from 2025-10-24 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
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