Claiborne Health & Rehab: Abuse Reporting Failures - TN
The incident at Claiborne Health and Rehabilitation Center came to light during a federal complaint investigation completed November 20. Video surveillance captured the certified nursing assistant securing Resident 15's legs, transforming routine bedding into a restraint that limited the woman's movement.
CNA A told investigators she wrapped the sheet around the resident's lower legs because the woman "liked to kick her blankets off and throw them on the floor." The assistant compared the situation to "playing a game with a toddler" and said she was concerned another resident might fall while trying to pick up the discarded blankets.
"I took a sheet and wrapped it around the bottom part of the legs to keep her from kicking it off, so no one else fell over it," CNA A explained during a telephone interview. She insisted she "did not consider her actions a restraint."
The facility's HR Manager reviewed the surveillance footage with security staff. He confirmed the video showed CNA A "securing Resident 15's legs with a blanket/towel" and noted that while the resident could move both legs together, "she could not move one leg without the other."
When the HR Manager interviewed CNA A about the incident, she claimed she "did not consider it bounding, just tucked." But the HR Manager's assessment was blunt: "If you look at the video it was more than a tuck."
The Administrator also watched the surveillance video, describing how it showed CNA A "wrapping and tucking Resident 15's lower legs with a sheet and covered her legs with a blanket." The Administrator noted that while the resident "was able to move her feet and wiggle her toes," her legs were "wrapped" with "the ends of the sheet tucked in."
The Administrator reported that CNA A justified her actions by saying "she wanted to make sure the resident was comfortable because she was constantly moving her legs and she didn't want her to fall." The sheet wasn't tied, the Administrator clarified, but "it was tucked."
Federal investigators pressed the facility's Quality and Regulation Manager about whether wrapping the resident's legs constituted a restraint. Initially, she said "No" because the resident's movement of her legs and feet were "unchanged."
But when asked whether she would consider wrapping a different resident's legs a restraint if that person could move their legs independently, the Quality and Regulation Manager answered "Yes."
The contradiction became personal when investigators asked if she would want her own legs wrapped the same way. Her response was immediate: "No."
CNA A defended her technique, saying she had "saw other people tuck the blanket under her legs." She described folding the sheet, placing it over the resident's legs, and tucking it under to secure the arrangement.
The assistant's concern about other residents falling while retrieving kicked-off blankets drove her decision. She worried that another resident "was going to fall" when trying to help, prompting her to devise the wrapping system as a solution.
The surveillance video became the definitive evidence in the case, showing exactly how the sheet restricted the resident's natural leg movement. While Resident 15 retained some mobility in her feet and toes, the wrapping prevented her from moving each leg independently as she normally would.
The facility's own managers acknowledged the problematic nature of the restraint. The HR Manager's frank assessment that the wrapping was "more than a tuck" contradicted the nursing assistant's characterization of her actions as routine bedding assistance.
The Quality and Regulation Manager's admission that she wouldn't want her own legs similarly wrapped underscored the dignity and comfort issues involved. Her acknowledgment that the same technique would constitute a restraint for a resident with independent leg movement highlighted the problematic standard being applied.
Federal investigators classified the violation as causing minimal harm with few residents affected, but the incident revealed how staff decisions to solve minor problems can create significant care violations that compromise resident rights and safety.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Claiborne Health and Rehabilitation Center from 2025-11-20 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
CLAIBORNE HEALTH AND REHABILITATION CENTER in TAZEWELL, TN was cited for abuse-related violations during a health inspection on November 20, 2025.
The incident at Claiborne Health and Rehabilitation Center came to light during a federal complaint investigation completed November 20.
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.