Laguna Hills Health and Rehab: Blood Thinner Care Failures - CA
The inspection at Laguna Hills Health and Rehabilitation Center, completed May 26, found that staff responsible for the resident's care could not describe the monitoring protocol for anticoagulant medications beyond a general awareness that the drugs posed bleeding risks.
LVN 4, who had worked with the resident since her recent admission, told inspectors that patients on anticoagulants were monitored for bleeding and that documentation would be in the medication administration record. When asked specifically how to monitor a resident on blood thinners, and what to look for, he said he would have to check. That was the extent of his answer.
The Director of Staff Development confirmed the gap. She described her role as providing onboarding, staffing education, and help with staffing. When inspectors asked whether CNAs had been educated on what it means to care for a resident on a blood thinner, she said staff knew to report changes in condition. Then she verified that no in-service training had been provided to staff on how to care for residents on anticoagulant medications. None.
Anticoagulants, commonly called blood thinners, reduce the blood's ability to clot. Residents on these medications can develop bruising, internal bleeding, or other complications from injuries that might cause little harm to someone not on the drugs. Recognizing early signs, including bruising or skin discoloration, is a basic component of monitoring.
On the morning of May 22, a CNA providing bladder and bowel care and changing the resident's gown called for a nurse to come assess the woman's skin. What they found was visible: bruising on both arms, and discoloration beneath her left breast.
The Director of Nursing was interviewed on May 26, the final day of the inspection. She was made aware of the staff interviews and what they had revealed. She acknowledged the findings.
The inspection narrative does not describe what happened between the observation of bruising on May 22 and the DON interview four days later, or whether the resident received any additional assessment during that window. It does not say how long the bruising had been present, or whether anyone had documented it before the CNA called for a nurse that morning.
What the record does show is a licensed nurse who could not explain the monitoring protocol for a medication his patient was actively taking, a staff development director who confirmed no training had been provided on the subject, and a resident with bruising on three parts of her body.
The facility's plan of correction was not included in the inspection report. The report notes that anyone seeking that information should contact the nursing home or the state survey agency directly.
Laguna Hills Health and Rehabilitation Center is located at 24452 Health Center Drive in Laguna Hills.
The resident, identified in the report only as Resident 1, was on a blood thinner. She had bruises on both arms and under her left breast. Whether anyone had noticed before the CNA called for help that morning, the report does not say.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Laguna Hills Health and Rehabilitation Center from 2026-05-26 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
Additional Resources
Data source: This article is based on inspection data downloaded directly from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) via Medicare.gov. CMS releases inspection reports in bulk; we publish the findings as documented by state surveyors in the official Form CMS-2567 Statement of Deficiencies.
Plan of correction: The CMS report we receive does not include the facility's plan of correction. Facilities submit plans of correction separately to state survey agencies and those responses may not be reflected in CMS data at the time of publication. The absence of a plan of correction in our data does not mean one was not filed. Readers who want information about corrective steps taken are encouraged to contact the facility directly or their state survey agency.
Corrections may have occurred: Inspection reports reflect conditions observed on the date of the survey. Facilities may have implemented corrections, staffing changes, additional training, or other remediation since the report was issued. We report what CMS provides and encourage readers to seek current information from the facility.
Editorial process: Inspection findings are extracted from CMS source documents and synthesized using AI, reviewed for factual accuracy against the original report by our editorial team.
Professional review: All content reviewed by Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr., NH EMT & BU-trained Paralegal.
Last verified: August 14, 2026 · Our methodology
LAGUNA HILLS HEALTH AND REHABILITATION CENTER in LAGUNA HILLS, CA was cited for violations during a health inspection on May 26, 2026.
When asked specifically how to monitor a resident on blood thinners, and what to look for, he said he would have to check.
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.