The kitchen manager told inspectors on November 19 that he had seen gnats since February 2025 but never filed a report about the problem. He confirmed the flying insects were gnats and said he "buys the stuff himself" to address what he called an ongoing issue.
Federal inspectors documented the extent of the pest problem during their November visit to Nursing & Rehabilitation Center of New Port Richey. In the dining area outside the kitchen, they observed approximately 10 small flying insects landing on the countertop, cabinets, sink and ice maker at 10:52 a.m.
The insects appeared throughout the facility's four wings. Inspectors found a small insect crawling on the wall in room 101 and observed a gnat flying around room 106. At the nursing station between B wing and C wing, they watched an insect flying around and landing on the desk.
Room 230 contained approximately five flying gnats when inspectors visited at 10:14 a.m. on November 20.
The kitchen manager explained that the gnats were "only located where there is water and in the drains." He said pest control comes in for routine maintenance and sprays for gnats, but the problem persisted.
Beyond the gnats, inspectors discovered other pest issues. In one bathroom, they found a cocoon at 10:08 a.m. on November 20. When they returned to the same bathroom at 1:24 p.m., they observed "a bug moving and coming out from the cocoon."
The facility's leadership appeared unaware of the scope of the problem. When inspectors interviewed the Director of Maintenance and Nursing Home Administrator on November 20, both officials said they had not known about the gnats and cocoons until that day.
The administrator and maintenance director discussed the types of pests they typically encountered: palmetto bugs, occasional sugar ants and ghost ants. They did not mention gnats or cocoons during the interview.
Both officials stated that staff receive training to report pest sightings to the Director of Maintenance. The facility's pest control policy, revised in January 2024, requires staff members who observe pests to report the sighting to their department head or administrator "for further action, as warranted."
The policy states it is facility practice "to maintain an effective pest control program to ensure the facility is free of pests and rodents." Staff are supposed to report concerns about pest presence, whether the pest is alive, dead, or evidenced by droppings.
The kitchen manager's failure to report the months-long gnat problem violated this reporting requirement. Despite seeing the insects since February and taking personal action to address them, he never alerted facility leadership through proper channels.
The inspection revealed pest control failures across multiple areas where residents live and eat. The dining area infestation particularly raised concerns, as residents consume meals in the space where inspectors observed numerous flying insects landing on food preparation and service surfaces.
Federal inspectors classified the violation as causing minimal harm or potential for actual harm to residents. They documented their findings with photographic evidence and noted that "some" residents were affected by the pest control program failures.
The facility's pest problem extended beyond a single location or wing, appearing in rooms across four different wings and in common areas where residents gather. The discovery of insects actively emerging from cocoons suggested an established breeding cycle within the building.
The kitchen manager's improvised pest control efforts - buying bleach and pouring it down drains - indicated both awareness of the problem and the inadequacy of the facility's official pest management program. His actions demonstrated that staff recognized the infestation but the facility's systems failed to address it effectively.
The gap between the facility's written pest control policy and actual practice became apparent when leadership expressed surprise about pest issues that had persisted for months. The breakdown in communication meant that a problem visible to kitchen staff never reached administrators responsible for coordinating professional pest control services.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Nursing & Rehabilitation Center of New Port Richey from 2025-11-20 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
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