Southside Care Center: Infection Control Failures - MN
Housekeeper-A told federal inspectors on March 30 that she was responsible for all personal and facility laundry in addition to sweeping, dusting, vacuuming and washing hard surfaces. She worked five days per week as the facility's only housekeeper, using one washing machine and one dryer located in the basement.
"I do not cover laundry," she told inspectors when asked about transporting soiled items from resident rooms to the basement and clean linen back to rooms and facility closets.
Inspectors observed her carrying soiled resident laundry in an uncovered plastic basket with holes and openings around it. She confirmed she did not wear a protective gown when sorting and handling soiled and clean linen, despite facility policy requiring such equipment.
The next morning at 7:35 a.m., inspectors watched her walk to the basement with both arms full of resident personal laundry. Nothing was covered.
On April 1, the contamination risks became more apparent during a 17-minute observation period starting at 7:10 a.m. Resident 10 walked downstairs carrying personal laundry in both arms. The washing machine was running, so she placed her soiled items on top of the utility sink next to the machine and returned upstairs.
Clean linen sat folded on top of the dryer—three blankets and a bed sheet, all uncovered.
Housekeeper-A then walked downstairs and placed the clean linen from the dryer into an uncovered plastic basket. She walked upstairs past Resident 10's soiled personal laundry still sitting on the utility sink, then returned downstairs carrying the same uncovered basket now filled with soiled linen.
She moved the contents of the washing machine into the dryer, then loaded the soiled linen from her basket into the washing machine—using the same unwashed container that had just held clean items.
When inspectors asked about cleaning the laundry baskets, Housekeeper-A said she had never washed or sanitized them between collecting soiled linen and transporting clean linen back to residents and facility areas. She only cleaned the baskets when they were visibly dirty.
The facility's infection control preventionist told inspectors on April 1 that housekeeping was expected to cover linen during transport and clean laundry baskets after each use to prevent contamination.
Facility policy titled "Housekeeping and Laundry," reviewed in October 2025, specifically required workers to cover linen during transport to prevent contamination while moving through the facility. The policy stated that soiled linen should be bagged or contained, and instructed staff to carry linen away from their body and uniform.
The policy also prohibited placing soiled linen on furniture, floors, or other surfaces—yet inspectors observed Resident 10 placing her soiled laundry directly on the utility sink surface.
Despite these written requirements, the policy was routinely ignored. Gowns and gloves were available for workers sorting linens, but Housekeeper-A confirmed she never used protective equipment when handling soiled materials.
The 13 residents at Southside Care Center remained potentially exposed to contamination from improperly transported laundry throughout the inspection period. Clean linens that should have been protected from airborne contaminants during transport were carried openly through common areas where residents lived and moved.
The same unwashed baskets cycled between collecting soiled materials and distributing clean items to resident rooms and facility linen closets, creating cross-contamination risks that the facility's own policies were designed to prevent.
Federal inspectors classified the violations as having minimal harm or potential for actual harm, but noted the infection control failures had the potential to affect every resident in the facility.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Southside Care Center from 2026-04-06 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 15, 2026 · Our methodology
Southside Care Center in MINNEAPOLIS, MN was cited for violations during a health inspection on April 6, 2026.
She worked five days per week as the facility's only housekeeper, using one washing machine and one dryer located in the basement.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What happened at Southside Care Center?
- She worked five days per week as the facility's only housekeeper, using one washing machine and one dryer located in the basement.
- How serious are these violations?
- Violation severity varies from minor documentation issues to serious safety concerns. Review the inspection report for specific deficiency codes and scope. All violations must be corrected within required timeframes and are subject to follow-up verification inspections.
- What should families do?
- Families should: (1) Ask facility administration about specific corrective actions taken, (2) Request to see the follow-up inspection report verifying corrections, (3) Check if this represents a pattern by reviewing prior inspection reports, (4) Compare this facility's ratings with other nursing homes in MINNEAPOLIS, MN, (5) Report any new concerns directly to state authorities.
- Where can I see the full inspection report?
- The complete inspection report is available on Medicare.gov's Care Compare website (www.medicare.gov/care-compare). You can also request a copy directly from Southside Care Center or from the state Department of Health. The report includes specific deficiency codes, facility responses, and correction timelines. This facility's federal provider number is 24E507.
- Has this facility had violations before?
- To check Southside Care Center's history, visit Medicare.gov's Care Compare and review their inspection history, quality ratings, and staffing levels. Look for patterns of repeated violations, especially in critical areas like abuse prevention, medication management, infection control, and resident safety.