Inspectors for CMS found officials at Accordius Health at Salisbury, N.C., placed a resident in "immediate jeopardy" by failing to prevent him from ingesting a mouse taken from the trash, WCNC Charlotte reported Oct. 29.
The nursing home was also cited for failing to notify the resident's physician and family.
The nursing home's director of nursing said she saw the man walk by with a "food container from the trash in his hand and a 2-inch-long dark-colored string hanging from his mouth," but was unable to stop him before he swallowed what she thought was a string, according to the inspection report.
The report went on to say the facility failed to immediately inform his family or physician about the incident. A physician was notified the following morning, but the man's family and poison control were not informed until three days after the incident.
Inspectors also found nursing home employees failed to tell another resident's family he tested positive for COVID-19 and was subsequently moved to a quarantine unit. An interview with the resident's responsible party revealed he wasn't notified until more than seven months after the positive test.
The inspection report outlined the facility's plan for corrective action with a date of compliance of Oct. 8, WIS 10 News reported Oct. 29.
The plan included an audit of the current residents that was to be completed by the director of nursing and a designee to ensure that physician and the resident responsible parties have been notified of changes in condition for the last 30 days to include ingestion of unidentified objects and notification of COVID-19 positive residents by Sept. 30.
An ongoing COVID-19 outbreak at the facility has resulted in four deaths and 41 positive cases, according to state data.
Editor's note: Becker's reached out to Accordius Health for comment but have not received a response.