Walker Methodist Westwood Ridge: Staff Skip PPE - MN
The same nurse then wheeled the vital signs equipment straight into another resident's room without cleaning it. That resident also carried a dangerous infection.
Federal inspectors documented the infection control failures at Walker Methodist Westwood Ridge II on April 15, finding staff routinely ignored safety protocols designed to prevent the spread of resistant organisms between residents.
Two residents were on contact precautions during the inspection. One carried ESBL, enzymes that make bacteria resistant to commonly used antibiotics. The other had MRSA, a staph infection that doesn't respond to methicillin and related antibiotics.
Both residents had been admitted within the past week. Both had isolation signs posted outside their doors directing staff to wear gloves and gowns before entering and to use dedicated equipment or disinfect shared items after use.
Staff ignored the precautions repeatedly.
During morning rounds, Licensed Practical Nurse-B entered the ESBL patient's room to take vital signs. The nurse applied a blood pressure cuff without gloves, scanned the resident's forehead for temperature, and placed a pulse oximeter on the resident's finger. No protective equipment was used for any of these tasks.
A certified nursing assistant also entered the room without any protective gear to weigh the resident.
When questioned, the nursing assistant said she believed protective equipment was only required during personal care activities, not for routine tasks like taking vital signs or weights. The licensed practical nurse expressed confusion about when to use gowns and gloves, saying staff were unsure about the difference between enhanced barrier precautions and contact precautions.
The equipment violations were equally serious.
After taking vital signs from the ESBL patient, the licensed practical nurse wheeled the vital signs tower directly into the MRSA patient's room without any cleaning or disinfection. The equipment had been in direct contact with one infected resident and was immediately used on another.
Isolation protocols required either dedicated equipment for each resident or thorough disinfection with bleach between uses. Neither happened.
The Director of Nursing and infection preventionist acknowledged during interviews that staff were expected to follow isolation signage requiring gowns and gloves for contact precautions and cleaning of vital signs equipment between residents. They admitted this had been identified as a problem area during a recent mock survey.
Staff had received retraining on infection control practices, they said.
The facility's own policy, dated January 1, required staff to wear gloves and gowns when entering contact precaution rooms if contact with infectious material was anticipated. The policy also mandated dedicating equipment when possible or disinfecting it before use with other residents.
ESBL bacteria produce enzymes that break down extended-spectrum antibiotics, making infections extremely difficult to treat. MRSA causes skin infections, pneumonia, and bloodstream infections that can be fatal in vulnerable populations like nursing home residents.
Both organisms spread through direct contact and contaminated surfaces. Equipment shared between infected residents without proper disinfection creates a direct pathway for transmission to other vulnerable patients.
The inspection found these failures placed both residents at increased risk for transmission of infectious organisms. In a facility caring for elderly residents with compromised immune systems, such breakdowns in infection control can have serious consequences.
Federal inspectors classified the violations as minimal harm with potential for actual harm, affecting few residents. But the systematic nature of the failures - staff confusion about basic protocols, shared contaminated equipment, and ignored isolation precautions - suggested deeper problems with infection control training and oversight.
The residents affected had been in the facility for just one week when inspectors arrived. How long the infection control problems had persisted before their admission remained unclear.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Walker Methodist Westwood Ridge II from 2026-04-15 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
Additional Resources
- View all inspection reports for Walker Methodist Westwood Ridge II
- Browse all MN nursing home inspections
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
WALKER METHODIST WESTWOOD RIDGE II in WEST SAINT PAUL, MN was cited for violations during a health inspection on April 15, 2026.
The same nurse then wheeled the vital signs equipment straight into another resident's room without cleaning it.
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 WALKER METHODIST WESTWOOD RIDGE II?
- The same nurse then wheeled the vital signs equipment straight into another resident's room without cleaning it.
- 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 WEST SAINT PAUL, 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 WALKER METHODIST WESTWOOD RIDGE II 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 245618.
- Has this facility had violations before?
- To check WALKER METHODIST WESTWOOD RIDGE II'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.