Failure to Change and Document PICC Line Dressing as Ordered
Summary
Resident #43, who had diagnoses including acute kidney failure, hypertension, osteoarthritis, and muscle wasting with atrophy, was admitted with a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) line for intravenous (IV) therapy, including antibiotics. Physician orders and the resident's care plan required weekly PICC line dressing changes and monitoring for signs of infection or infiltration. Review of the Treatment Administration Record (TAR) showed that the dressing change was not documented as completed for a two-week period, specifically from 03/13/25 to 03/27/25, and there was no documentation that the dressing was changed as ordered on 03/20/25. On observation, the PICC line dressing was found to be loose and peeling, and the date on the dressing indicated it had not been changed as scheduled. An LPN confirmed that she had signed off in the TAR that the dressing was changed, but admitted she had not actually performed the dressing change. The Director of Nursing verified that PICC line dressings were to be changed weekly and that this resident was the only one receiving IV therapy. Facility policy also required dressings to be changed every seven days or sooner if loose, and for nurses to document the procedure and site condition.
Penalty
Resources
Below are regulatory guidelines relevant to this citation:
A resident with osteomyelitis and a PICC line had physician orders for IV Vancomycin twice daily and IV Cefazolin every 8 hours, but the MAR lacked documentation for several scheduled doses. Specifically, morning Vancomycin doses and an afternoon Cefazolin dose were not recorded, despite facility guidelines requiring nurses to sign the MAR immediately after medication administration.
A resident receiving IV Ertapenem via a midline catheter had no care plan intervention for IV site monitoring and no physician order for normal saline (NS) flushes, yet an LPN flushed the midline with NS before and after an antibiotic infusion as a routine practice. The TAR contained an order for weekly PICC dressing changes, which the DON documented as completed, but the resident actually had a midline catheter. The DON initially reported a measurable external catheter length inconsistent with the hospital placement record, which documented a midline with 0 cm external length, and only later acknowledged that no external catheter or hash marks were visible, demonstrating inaccurate assessment and documentation of the midline catheter.
A resident admitted with wound infection and bacteremia received IV vancomycin via a midline catheter, but staff failed to follow facility policy and physician orders requiring measurement and documentation of the external catheter length. The care plan identified risk for complications related to the midline and called for measuring and documenting the external catheter length during dressing changes, yet the admission external length was left blank and no subsequent measurements were recorded. Observation confirmed the resident had IV access for antibiotic administration, and the DON acknowledged that the external catheter length was never documented and no insertion-length information was obtained from the hospital.
A resident with multiple sclerosis, respiratory failure, sepsis, and severely impaired cognition received IV Vancomycin for pneumonia, but the IV dressing was not labeled with the insertion date, time, or staff initials. During the infusion, the RN supervisor later found the IV had infiltrated with redness and swelling. Facility policy required IV site labeling and ongoing assessment for infiltration, phlebitis, and infection.
PICC line care was not consistently completed or documented for two residents with PICC lines for IV antibiotics. One resident with COPD and another resident with chronic osteomyelitis had orders for daily external PICC length measurements, but records showed missed documentation on multiple days. For one resident, ordered PICC dressing and cap changes every 7 days were also not documented. The Regional Administrator of Clinical Operations stated the facility did not consistently monitor and maintain the PICC lines in accordance with physician orders, facility policy, and professional standards of practice.
A resident with complex medical conditions and a PICC line for chronic IV daptomycin therapy did not consistently receive ordered IV care and PICC maintenance. Physician orders and the care plan required q8h normal saline flushes, regular PICC dressing changes, arm circumference and external catheter length measurements, PICC site monitoring, needless connector changes, and scheduled IV daptomycin doses after dialysis. MAR review showed frequent missed or undocumented flushes, missed measurements and connector changes on specified days, and multiple missed IV daptomycin doses, while a photo showed a PICC dressing still dated from mid-month despite MAR entries indicating later dressing changes. Hospital records later noted the PICC had been accidentally removed at the facility within the prior 24 hours, and EMT documentation did not show a PICC in place. In interviews, an LPN denied performing PICC care despite their initials on the MAR, an RN was uncertain whether the PICC was present at transfer, and the DON was unaware of the missed care and documentation discrepancies, confirming staff were expected to follow all provider orders.
Failure to Document Ordered IV Antibiotic Administration on MAR
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that a resident’s IV antibiotic therapy was accurately documented on the medication administration record (MAR) as ordered by the physician. The resident, who had osteomyelitis and a PICC line in the right upper extremity, had a physician’s order dated 4/8/26 for Vancomycin HCl 1.25 grams IV twice daily at 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. The April 2026 MAR lacked documentation of the 8:00 a.m. Vancomycin doses on 4/23/26 and 4/27/26. A subsequent physician’s order dated 4/20/26 directed Cefazolin Sodium 2 grams IV every 8 hours at 6:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m., and 10:00 p.m. for the same diagnosis, and the April 2026 MAR lacked documentation of the 2:00 p.m. Cefazolin dose on 4/23/26. During the survey, the resident was observed with an active PICC line, and staff confirmed that the MAR should be signed by the nurse administering the medication. The Regional Director of Operations provided the facility’s Medication Administration Guidelines, which state that the MAR is to be signed immediately after administering medications, under “The Right Documentation.” Despite this policy, the MAR entries for the specified IV antibiotic doses were not completed, resulting in missing documentation for multiple ordered IV antibiotic administrations.
Unauthorized IV Flushes and Inaccurate Midline Catheter Assessment
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to ensure parenteral medications were administered according to a physician’s order and to accurately assess and document a resident’s midline catheter. A resident with intact cognition, admitted with diagnoses including UTI and ESBL infection, returned from the hospital with an IV catheter for continuation of IV Ertapenem therapy. The resident’s care plan noted IV antibiotic therapy but did not include an intervention to monitor the IV site. Facility policy required that medications be administered only upon a signed prescriber order and that PICC/midline/CVAD catheters be inspected and measured from hub to skin entry to detect migration. Surveyor review of the resident’s record showed a TAR order for weekly PICC dressing changes, which was documented as completed by the DON, but the record did not contain any order for normal saline (NS) flushes. During observation, an LPN prepared and administered Ertapenem via the resident’s catheter using a ball pump. Before starting the infusion, the LPN scrubbed the hub and flushed the catheter with 10 ml NS, then connected the antibiotic tubing and initiated the infusion. Later, after clamping the IV tubing, the LPN again scrubbed the hub and flushed the catheter with another 10 ml NS. When questioned, the LPN acknowledged there was no order for NS flushes in the medical record and stated that flushing before and after an infusion was routine practice. The DON reported having performed the resident’s catheter dressing change and stated that the external catheter length had been measured, but also stated there was no place in the record to document this measurement. The DON initially reported an external catheter length of 10 cm without the hub and 14 cm with the hub, and provided hospital placement documentation. Surveyor review of that documentation showed the device was a single-lumen power midline with an external catheter length of 0 cm. An RN from the infusion clinic confirmed the resident had a midline catheter, not a PICC, and that a midline’s external length should be 0 cm, with visible hash marks only if the catheter was migrating out. Upon being informed of this, the DON then stated there was 0 cm of external catheter visible and no hash marks seen during the dressing change, indicating the earlier measurement provided by the DON did not accurately reflect the midline catheter’s documented external length.
Failure to Measure and Document External Midline Catheter Length for IV Therapy
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to administer IV therapy in accordance with professional standards of practice and physician orders for one resident with a midline catheter. Facility policy for central venous catheter dressing changes, dated May 2011, required an RN to measure the external portion of the catheter, document this measurement in the electronic medical record, ensure it matched the IV insertion records, and notify the physician of any discrepancies. The resident’s comprehensive care plan, initiated shortly after admission, identified risk for complications related to the midline and included an intervention to measure and document the length of the external catheter during dressing changes; however, the external length on admission was left blank in the care plan. The resident was admitted with diagnoses of wound infection and bacteremia and had a physician order for IV vancomycin every 12 hours for 21 days, as well as a subsequent order to measure the external catheter length with each weekly dressing change. The MDS indicated the resident received IV therapy for antibiotic medications while in the facility. Observation confirmed the resident had IV access for antibiotic administration. Review of the clinical record revealed no documented evidence that the external catheter length was measured and documented on admission or with any dressing changes thereafter. The DON confirmed that the facility did not document the resident’s external catheter length and did not have documentation from the hospital regarding the external catheter length at the time of insertion.
Plan Of Correction
1. All PICC lines will be measured in accordance with facility policy 2. The policy on Central Venous Catheter Dressing Change (PICC Line) will be updated as needed. 3. The licensed nursing staff will be in-serviced by the ADON or designee on policy changes. 4. As part of routine clinical review meeting, the ADON will verify PICC line measurements are being completed according to policy 5. For the next 60 days, the ADON or designee will complete an audit to verify compliance. 6. Results of the audit will be reported to facility QA team.
IV Site Not Properly Labeled or Monitored During Vancomycin Infusion
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure safe, appropriate administration and monitoring of IV fluids for one sampled resident who was receiving IV Vancomycin for ventilator-associated pneumonia. The resident had multiple sclerosis, respiratory failure, sepsis, and severely impaired cognition, and was dependent on staff for personal care. The order required Vancomycin 1 gram IV every 12 hours and daily and nightly monitoring of the peripheral IV site for signs of infection or infiltration. On observation, the resident was receiving Vancomycin through a left hand IV access, and the IV site dressing did not have the insertion date, time, or staff initials. The RN supervisor stated she had started the infusion about one hour earlier and, on reassessment, found the IV had infiltrated with redness and swelling. The DON stated staff must label the IV dressing with the insertion date, time, and initials, and that the IV site should be reassessed after initiation of IV medication. Facility policies also required labeling of the IV dressing and ongoing assessment for infiltration, phlebitis, infection, redness, swelling, pain, warmth, leakage, and other signs of IV complications.
PICC Line Monitoring and Dressing Care Not Completed as Ordered
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure intravenous therapy was provided and monitored in accordance with physician orders and professional standards of practice for two residents with PICC lines. Facility policy for central venous catheter care stated that IV site care and dressing changes were required at established intervals or immediately if the dressing was damp, loosened, or visibly soiled, and that the external length of the catheter should be measured with each dressing change or if dislodgement was suspected. The policy also directed staff to check the State Nurse Practice Act regarding LPN scope of practice for central venous catheter dressing care. Resident 1, who was cognitively intact and had a PICC line for antibiotic administration, had a physician order requiring daily measurement of the external PICC length, but the eMAR showed no documentation of measurements on February 5, 11, 24, 25, and 26, 2026. Resident 30, who was cognitively intact and had a PICC line for antibiotic administration related to chronic multifocal osteomyelitis of the left ankle and foot, also had an order for daily external PICC length measurement, but the treatment record showed no documentation on March 14, 15, and 21, 2026. In addition, physician orders required PICC dressing and cap changes every seven days for Resident 30, and the treatment administration record showed no documentation that those changes were completed at the required intervals. The Regional Administrator of Clinical Operations stated the facility did not consistently monitor and maintain PICC lines in accordance with physician orders, facility policy, and professional standards of practice for Residents 1 and 30.
Failure to Provide Ordered IV Therapy and PICC Line Care
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to provide safe, appropriate IV therapy and PICC line care in accordance with physician orders, the resident’s care plan, and professional standards of practice for one resident. The resident was re-admitted with a PICC line and multiple serious diagnoses, including end stage renal disease, abdominal pelvic abscess on chronic IV daptomycin therapy, dependence on dialysis, history of sepsis, and other complex conditions. The care plan and physician orders required regular IV antibiotic administration, routine PICC line flushing, dressing changes, monitoring of the PICC site, and measurement of arm circumference and external catheter length. These orders were intended to support ongoing treatment of the resident’s chronic pelvic abscess and to maintain PICC line patency and integrity. Record review showed that from early February through early April, normal saline flushes ordered every 8 hours were not consistently administered and were often documented as not given, held, or left blank on the MAR, indicating they were not performed as ordered. Required PICC-related assessments and care were also missed or undocumented: arm circumference above the insertion site was not documented or completed on specified dates, external catheter length was not documented or completed on a required date, and PICC needless connector changes were not documented or completed on two ordered dates. IV daptomycin doses ordered for administration after dialysis on specific Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays were not administered on multiple ordered days. Additionally, although the MAR showed that PICC dressing changes were documented as completed on three separate dates in March, a photograph dated later in March showed the PICC dressing still bearing a date and initials from mid-March, indicating the dressing had not been changed every 7 days as ordered. Further, hospital documentation from early April stated that the resident, known for a non-operable chronic pelvic abscess on chronic antibiotics and frequent admissions for sepsis, was brought to the ER minimally responsive, and that the PICC line had been accidentally removed at the nursing home sometime in the prior 24 hours. The EMT report from that day did not indicate a PICC line in place during transport. Interviews with nursing staff revealed confusion and inconsistency regarding who was responsible for PICC care. One LPN stated that dialysis usually completed all PICC care and reported not doing anything with the PICC line, despite the LPN’s initials appearing on the MAR for PICC flushes, external catheter length measurements, and dressing changes, with some entries marked as not administered. The LPN could not explain why their initials appeared on the MAR. An RN reported that the PICC functioned well and believed, but was not certain, that the PICC was in place before transfer. The DON stated there were no progress notes indicating accidental PICC removal or malfunction and was unaware of the missed PICC care tasks and discrepancies between MAR documentation and the dated dressing shown in the photograph. The DON confirmed that staff were expected to complete all provider orders as written and to notify leadership and the provider if orders could not be followed. The combination of missed IV flushes, missed or undocumented PICC assessments and connector changes, missed IV antibiotic doses, inaccurate or conflicting MAR documentation, and lack of clear recognition or reporting of PICC line issues prior to hospital transfer constituted the failure to ensure the resident received IV therapy and PICC care consistent with physician orders, the care plan, and professional standards of practice.
Trusted data from CMS and state health departments
Every citation, penalty and Plan of Correction is sourced from public CMS records (latest release June 24, 2026) and official state health department websites — never guesswork.
Trusted by long-term care providers and associations.
