ARC at Cincinnati: Respiratory Equipment Left Exposed - OH
That finding was at the center of a December complaint inspection at ARC at Cincinnati, a nursing home at 4001 Rosslyn Drive. Inspectors documented respiratory equipment left exposed and unprotected across multiple residents, multiple days, and multiple staff shifts — with every supervisor who was asked confirming the equipment should have been stored properly.
The first resident, identified in inspection records as Resident 6, was scheduled to receive albuterol sulfate treatments through a nebulizer every six hours. Inspectors observed the nebulizer machine sitting on the resident's over-the-bed table, medication canister and connectors lying loose on the surface, on December 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19. No bag. No cover.
When inspectors spoke with Licensed Practical Nurse 2 on December 19, she confirmed the equipment should be kept in a plastic bag when not in use. There was no bag in the room, she said. She had meant to bring one. She forgot.
The Director of Nursing said on December 23 that nurses should have covered the equipment and that leaving it on the table was an infection control problem. The administrator said the same: she expected the nebulizer to be stored properly.
The second resident, Resident 37, had been living at the facility since June 2023. Her diagnoses included chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and moderate persistent asthma. Her care plan noted a history of altered respiratory status tied to all three conditions, along with congestive heart failure and a history of smoking. She relied on a CPAP machine. A cognitive assessment completed in November 2025 showed a score of seven on the Brief Interview for Mental Status, indicating severe cognitive impairment — meaning she was not in a position to manage her own equipment or advocate for its proper handling.
Inspectors found her CPAP mask lying on top of her dresser, not stored in any bag, on December 15, then again on December 20, and again on December 21.
A certified nursing assistant, CNA 29, told inspectors on December 21 that he just placed CPAP masks on the dresser when residents weren't using them. Another aide, CNA 31, said the following day that masks were supposed to go in a plastic bag. LPN 10 said the same thing on December 21: bags, not dressers.
The Director of Nursing acknowledged on December 22 that the facility had no written policy for CPAP mask storage. She said she still expected staff to use bags. The administrator said the same when asked.
So the expectation existed. The knowledge existed, at least among most of the staff who were interviewed. What did not exist, across five days of documented observations for one resident and three separate observations for another, was anyone acting on it.
Respiratory equipment left open and uncovered in a care environment carries infection risk. The surfaces where masks and nebulizer components sit collect airborne particles, and equipment used directly against the airways of residents with already-compromised lung function is particularly vulnerable to contamination. The Director of Nursing used the phrase "infection control reasons" when explaining why the nebulizer should have been covered. She said it on December 23, the last day of the inspection.
Inspectors rated the violations at the level of minimal harm or potential for actual harm, and noted that some residents were affected.
Resident 37, with severe cognitive impairment and a respiratory care plan that listed five separate conditions affecting her breathing, had a CPAP mask sitting on her dresser the last time inspectors looked. She depended on that mask to breathe through the night. Nobody had put it in a bag.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Arc At Cincinnati from 2025-12-23 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
Download the official CMS inspection PDF from Medicare.gov
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: September 21, 2026 · Our methodology
ARC AT CINCINNATI in CINCINNATI, OH was cited for violations during a health inspection on December 23, 2025.
That finding was at the center of a December complaint inspection at ARC at Cincinnati, a nursing home at 4001 Rosslyn Drive.
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.