Skip to main content
Complaint Investigation

Sandia Ridge Center

April 29, 2026 · Albuquerque, NM · 2216 Lester Drive Ne
Citations 1
CMS Rating 1/5
Beds 136
Provider ID 325032
Healthcare Facility
Sandia Ridge Center
Albuquerque, NM  ·  View full profile →
Source Document
Official CMS Inspection Report (Medicare.gov)
Downloaded from CMS/Medicare.gov. Reflects what state inspectors documented and does not include the facility's plan of correction, which is submitted separately. Facilities may have taken corrective actions since this report was released.
Inspection Summary

Sandia Ridge Center in Albuquerque, NM — inspection on April 29, 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

FF0558
Resident Rights Deficiencies

unnecessary hunger and frustration.

The findings are: A. On 04/23/26 at 2:26 pm during observation

snacks to him very often, and he would like them especially at night. R #1 stated he had to ask the staff for a snack, and he has been told there is none. B. On 04/23/26 at 3:30 pm during observation, the locked unit nourishment refrigerator contained a sandwich labeled with a resident's name and dated 04/22/26.

Further observation revealed some unlabeled and undated yogurts, sandwich items in a white shopping bag, and two undated and unlabeled metal tumblers on the refrigerator door. C. On 04/23/26 at 3:32 pm during an interview, Registered Nurse (RN) #1 stated the snacks in the refrigerator in the white shopping bag were for all residents that wanted a snack. D. On 04/25/26 at 9:43 am during an interview, Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) #1 stated there were not any snacks at night.

CNA #1 stated the concern was that the kitchen was locked at night, and there were not snacks for the residents who wanted them or needed them due to diabetes. CNA #1 stated the snacks available at night were five milk cartons, a few yogurts, and a few supplement shakes.

The CNA stated she did not think it was enough for all the residents that would like a snack. CNA #1 stated the staff would go out and buy snacks to keep for those residents. E. On 04/27/26 at 5:00 pm during an interview, CNA #2 stated they do not have many snacks to be delivered to the residents.

The CNA stated there were five shakes and four to five sandwiches available. CNA #2 stated there were about 22 residents in each hall. CNA #2 stated they have requested more snacks. CNA #2 stated there were residents that asked for snacks all the time, and sometimes staff will buy snacks at the vending machine in the facility for the residents. F. On 04/27/26 at 5:35 pm during an interview, the Dietary Manager (DM) stated he put snacks out three times a day. He stated the snacks were put out according to the Registered Dietician's orders and not everybody got a snack.

The DM stated it was based on recommendations for weight gain or specific purposes.

The DM stated snacks are not left in the refrigerator for residents.

The DM stated staff were not able to access the kitchen at night. G. On 04/28/26 at 12:49 pm during an interview, CNA #3 stated there were not enough snacks sent out during snack times or on weekends. CNA #3 stated residents with labeled snacks get a snack. CNA #3 stated the other residents ask for snacks, and staff tell them there is not enough snacks for them. H.

On 04/28/26 at 2:19 pm during an interview, the Director of Nursing (DON) stated the kitchen used to put out a lot of snacks, but they got left out.

The DON stated the facility lost money, because they had to throw away the left over snacks.

The DON stated they put together a snack list, and they put out snacks for those prescribed by the Registered Dietician. I. On 04/29/26 at 9:02 am during an interview, the Activities Assistant (AA) stated residents asked her for snacks, because they know where she kept them.

The AA stated she gave snacks to whomever asked for them.

The AA stated the dietary department used to bring snacks for everyone and individual labeled snacks for residents with an order.

She stated the dietary department recently send out snacks only for the prescribed resident snacks and did not send enough for everyone.

The AA stated she will buy snacks to have on hand for those residents wanting a snack.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an F-tag violation?
F-tags are federal deficiency codes used by CMS to categorize nursing home violations. Each F-tag corresponds to a specific federal regulation (42 CFR Part 483). For example, F607 relates to abuse prevention policies, F880 relates to infection control.
Were these violations corrected?
Facilities must submit plans of correction and implement changes within required timeframes. CMS conducts follow-up inspections to verify corrections. Check the inspection report for specific correction dates and follow-up verification status.
How often do nursing home inspections happen?
CMS conducts unannounced inspections of all Medicare/Medicaid-certified nursing homes at least once per year. Additional inspections may occur based on complaints, facility-reported incidents, or follow-up to verify previous violations were corrected.
What should families do about these violations?
Families should: (1) Review the full inspection report for details, (2) Ask facility administration about specific corrective actions taken, (3) Check if this represents a pattern by reviewing prior inspections, (4) Compare with other facilities in Albuquerque, NM, (5) Report new concerns to state authorities.
Where can I see the full inspection report?
Complete inspection reports are available on Medicare.gov's Care Compare website (www.medicare.gov/care-compare). You can also request copies directly from Sandia Ridge Center or from the state Department of Health. Reports include deficiency codes, facility responses, and correction timelines.


More Reports

About This Inspection Report

Source: This inspection report was downloaded directly from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) via Medicare.gov. CMS releases nursing home inspection reports in bulk. The findings reflect what state surveyors documented in the official Form CMS-2567 Statement of Deficiencies on the date of the inspection.

Plan of correction not included: The CMS report we receive does not include the facility's plan of correction. Facilities submit plans of correction separately to their state survey agency and those responses may not appear in CMS public data at the time of release. The absence of a plan of correction in this report does not mean one was not filed. Readers who want information about corrective steps taken by the facility are encouraged to contact the facility or their state survey agency directly.

Corrections may have been made: This report reflects conditions observed on the date of the survey. The facility may have implemented staffing changes, additional training, policy revisions, or other corrective actions since this report was issued. We publish what CMS provides and encourage readers to seek current information from the facility.