Quabbin Valley Healthcare
QUABBIN VALLEY HEALTHCARE in ATHOL, MA — inspection on February 25, 2026.
Found 1 citation. Severity: Standard violations.
Health inspections identify deficiencies that facilities must correct within required timeframes. Violations range from minor documentation issues to serious safety concerns and are subject to follow-up verification.
Inspection Findings
Review of Resident #2's Physicians order, dated 02/22/26 indicated he/she had the following order for wound care:-Coccyx wound- cleanse with normal saline, pat dry, apply Santyl (a topical debriding agent used to remove dead tissue) followed by 2-inch by 2-inch gauze and cover with foam border dressing, change daily and prn (as needed).On 02/25/26 at 2:35 P.M., the surveyor observed the following during Resident #2's wound care and dressing change:-Although facility policy indicated that residents receiving wound care needed to be on EBP, there was No Enhanced Barrier Precautions (EBP) signage or precaution cart stocked with gowns and gloves observed at Resident #2's door.-Nurse #4 donned a mask and gloves (no gown) and removed Resident #2's old dressing, the wound was observed to be an open, shallow wound with scant drainage, the wound bed had yellow tissue and the skin surrounding the wound was reddened. -Nurse #4 cleansed the wound, applied Santyl and a new dressing.
During an interview on 02/25/26 at 3:00 P.M., Nurse #4 said she did not think she needed to wear a gown during Resident #2's wound care because he/she did not have MRSA (an antibiotic-resistant bacteria) and because there was not at Enhanced Barrier Precautions sign at his/her door.
During an interview on 02/25/26 at 3:05 P.M., the Infection Preventionist (IP) said Resident #2 should have been placed on Enhanced Barrier Precautions upon admission because he/she had a wound.
The IP said Nurse #4 should have worn a gown during Resident #2's wound care to help prevent transmission of infection, and per facility policy.
Any deficiency statement ending with an asterisk (*) denotes a deficiency which the institution may be excused from correcting providing it is determined that other safeguards provide sufficient protection to the patients. (See instructions.) Except for nursing homes, the findings stated above are disclosable 90 days following the date of survey whether or not a plan of correction is provided.
For nursing homes, the above findings and plans of correction are disclosable 14 days following the date these documents are made available to the facility. If deficiencies are cited, an approved plan of correction is requisite to continued program participation.
LABORATORY DIRECTOR'S OR PROVIDER/SUPPLIER TITLE (X6) DATE REPRESENTATIVE'S SIGNATURE