CNA J was pushing the sit-to-stand transfer chair near the nurses' station on November 17 when an inspector spotted the filthy condition. No resident was in the chair at the time.
Dried food particles clung to the footrest. The base was so covered in accumulated dust it appeared several shades darker than the cream-colored upper portion of the chair.
When asked who was responsible for cleaning the equipment, CNA J said she wasn't sure.
Assistant Director of Nursing A was sitting at the nurses' station and witnessed the exchange. She said she would put in a maintenance order to have the chair cleaned and acknowledged it was important to ensure resident equipment stayed clean.
The Director of Nursing later said the Director of Services was responsible for ensuring the sit-to-stand chair was cleaned. But there was no set cleaning schedule.
"She was going to create one to ensure it was routinely cleaned and sanitized," according to the inspection report. The DON noted the transfer chair was used for different residents and should be wiped down after each use.
The next day, Assistant Director of Nursing A said she had cleaned the chair herself after the violation was brought to her attention.
"It looked like there was a wad of hair and food and dirt particles on the footrest," she told inspectors. When she sprayed it with cleaner, the mess became gummy, confirming it wasn't only food stuck to the equipment.
Dust had accumulated all over the sit-to-stand chair, she said.
The Director of Services, who had been in his role since August, oversees maintenance, laundry and housekeeping. He said housekeeping staff would be responsible for cleaning equipment used to transfer residents.
He acknowledged the importance of ensuring equipment used by residents was routinely cleaned and sanitized. Like others, he said he spoke with the DON about creating a cleaning log.
The interim Administrator, who was transitioning to a permanent position, said there was usually a schedule for nursing or maintenance staff to clean resident equipment routinely and between uses as needed.
She said she spoke with both the DON and Director of Services about creating a schedule to ensure wheelchairs, mechanical lifts and sit-to-stand transfer chairs were routinely cleaned and sanitized.
"It was important to prevent cross contamination and the spread of germs between residents," she said.
The facility's own policy on cleaning and disinfecting resident care equipment, revised in June 2024, states that equipment will be maintained and kept clean or disinfected according to acceptable policies. The policy requires following manufacturers' recommendations when cleaning or disinfecting medical equipment.
Despite having a written policy, no cleaning schedule existed for the transfer chair that multiple residents used for mobility assistance.
The inspection found the facility failed to provide a safe, sanitary and homelike environment when it came to the sit-to-stand transfer chair. The deficient practice could place residents at risk of living in an unclean and unsanitary environment, potentially decreasing their quality of life.
Federal inspectors classified the violation as causing minimal harm or potential for actual harm, affecting few residents.
The facility now faces the task of implementing the cleaning schedule that multiple administrators promised to create during the two-day inspection.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Paradigm At the Prairies from 2025-11-18 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.