Audit of Nursing Facility Staffing Requirements at Poplar Grove Care Center, A-07-03-04025

*b" -' Office of Inspector General DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES 5 Offices of Audit Services -a4%,304~ Region VII Report Number A-07-03-04025 601 East 12th Street Room 284A Kansas City, Missouri 64106 December 3,2003 Betsy Redmond, Administrator Poplar Grove Care Center 7150 Poplar St. Commerce City, CO 80022 Dear Ms. Redmond: Enclosed are two copies of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of Inspector General, Office of Audit Service's (OAS) final report entitled "Audit of Nursing Facility Staffing Requirements at Poplar Grove Care Center. " The audit objective was to evaluate whether Poplar Grove Care Center (Poplar Grove) was in compliance with Federal and State staffing laws and regulations for nursing facilities. Poplar Grove complied with Federal and State staffing laws and regulations with one exception. State regulations require that a nursing care facility shall be staffed at all times with at least one registered nurse who is on duty on the premises. However, Poplar Grove did not always have a registered nurse on the premises during the evening shift. Poplar Grove officials indicated that it is difficult to employ a registered nurse during the evening shift. The lack of a registered nurse on the premises at all times may result in a reduction in the quality of care received by residents. We recommend that Poplar Grove make additional efforts to ensure that the facility is staffed at all times with a ...