Altamaha Healthcare Center

In the surveyor’s words

From the most serious findings on record at Altamaha Healthcare Center, in the surveyor’s own words.

• Actual harm, isolatedF689Aug 9, 2025

  Based on observation, interview, record review, and review of the facility's policies titled Safe Smoking Standard and Fall Management, the facility failed to ensure an environment free from accident hazards for two of 42 sampled residents (R) (R51 and R6). Harm was identified to have occurred on 7/30/2025, when Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)12 was independently providing a bed bath for R51, and the resident fell from the bed. It was determined that R51 required two-person assistance for bed mobility (turning from left to right in the bed). […]

• No harm, potential for more than minimal, widespreadF727Jun 4, 2026

  Based on resident and staff interviews, record review, review of the facility documents titled, PBJ (payroll-based journal) Staffing Data Report, and review of the facility policy titled, Staffing Policy, the facility failed to ensure Registered Nurse (RN) coverage was available in the facility for eight consecutive hours daily. This failure had the potential to negatively impact all residents at the facility.Findings included:Review of the facility's policy titled, Staffing Policy, dated January 2025 documented Procedure. 4. Staffing will include a Registered Nurse (RN) 8 hours a day. 5. The nursing services department will be under the authority and responsibility of the director of Nursing service who is a licensed registered nurse and who works as least eight hours a day. […]

• No harm, potential for more than minimal, widespreadF585Aug 9, 2025

  Based on staff interviews and review of the facility's policy titled Grievance Policy, the facility failed to develop a grievance policy that met all regulatory requirements. This failure had the potential to affect all 56 residents who resided in the facility.Findings included:A review of the facility's policy titled, Grievance Policy, dated January 2025, revealed the policy did not include procedures to notify the resident of their right to file a grievance in writing or orally, the right to file a grievance anonymously, the reasonable timeframe the resident could expect a completed review of the grievance, the right to obtain the review in writing, the required contact information of the grievance official, and the contact information of outside entities with whom grievances could also… […]

• No harm, potential for more than minimal, widespreadF761Aug 9, 2025

  Based on observation, interview, record review, and review of the facility's policy titled Medication Administration, the facility failed to ensure that two of two medication carts were locked when out of the sight of a licensed nurse.Findings included:A review of the facility's policy titled Medication Administration, dated 1/2025, indicated, Medication carts are to be kept locked at all times and under the visual supervision of the licensed nurse.During an observation on 8/4/2025 at 11:22 am, the medication cart in the 300 Hall was unlocked, and the nurse was in a room down the hall.During a concurrent observation and interview on 8/6/2025 at 8:45 pm, a medication cart located by room [ROOM NUMBER] was unlocked, and there were three bottles of medications on top of the cart: iron,… […]

• No harm, potential for more than minimal, widespreadF812Jul 31, 2024

  Based on observations, interviews, and policy review, the facility failed to ensure food was not stored on the floor, expired foods were disposed of in a timely manner, ready-to-eat food was not touched with bare hands, and moldy food was not stored for use in accordance with professional standards for food service safety as required for 52 census residents who received meals from the facility kitchen. These failures had the potential to lead to food-borne illness among facility residents. Findings include: Review of a facility policy titled, Nutrition Services Manual, dated ,d+[DATE], revealed, The facility strives to promote good sanitation practices in order to protect its residents/patients and employees from foodborne illness. […]