Merkel Nursing Center
Merkel Nursing Center is a 65-bed nursing home in Merkel, Texas. CMS has certified it for Medicare and Medicaid since 2005-06-01. It averages 18.7 residents a day.
What harm was found in the violations cited at Merkel Nursing Center?
CMS lists 64 health-inspection deficiencies for Merkel Nursing Center since 2023-06-08, 56 of them in the three years to 2026-08-01: the highest scope-and-severity letter on record is K; the most recent health inspection was 2026-02-16.
| Survey date | Tag | Deficiency | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-16 | F0600, F0689, F0725, F0726 | Protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody. / Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents. / Provide enough nursing staff every day to meet the needs of every resident; and have a licensed nurse in charge on each shift. / Ensure that nurses and nurse aides have the appropriate competencies to care for every resident in a way that maximizes each resident's well being. | K |
| 2026-02-16 | F0727, F0728, F0881, F0882 | Have a registered nurse on duty 8 hours a day; and select a registered nurse to be the director of nurses on a full time basis. / Ensure that nurse aides who have worked more than 4 months, are trained and competent; and nurse aides who have worked less than 4 months are enrolled in appropriate training. / Implement a program that monitors antibiotic use. / Designate a qualified infection preventionist to be responsible for the infection prevent and control program in the nursing home. | F |
| 2025-12-04 | F0867 | Set up an ongoing quality assessment and assurance group to review quality deficiencies and develop corrective plans of action. | F |
| 2025-12-04 | F0695, F0849, F0909, F0940, F0941, F0942, F0943, F0944, F0945, F0949 | Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed. / Arrange for the provision of hospice services or assist the resident in transferring to a facility that will arrange for the provision of hospice services. / Regularly inspect all bed frames, mattresses, and bed rails (if any) for safety; and all bed rails and mattresses must attach safely to the bed frame. / Develop, implement, and/or maintain an effective training program for all new and existing staff members. / Develop, implement, and/or maintain an effective training program that includes effective communications for direct care staff members. / Ensure that staff members are educated on resident rights and facility responsibilities to properly care for its residents. / Give their staff education on dementia care, and what abuse, neglect, and exploitation are; and how to report abuse, neglect, and exploitation. / Conduct mandatory training, for all staff, on the facility’s Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement Program. / Include as part of its infection prevention and control program, mandatory training that includes written standards, policies, and procedures for the program. / Provide behavior health training consistent with the requirements and as determined by a facility assessment. | E |
| 2025-12-04 | F0842, F0880 | Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards. / Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program. | D |
| 2025-08-22 | F0689 | Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents. | K |
| 2025-08-22 | F0801, F0835, F0838 | Employ sufficient staff with the appropriate competencies and skills sets to carry out the functions of the food and nutrition service, including a qualified dietician. / Administer the facility in a manner that enables it to use its resources effectively and efficiently. / Conduct and document a facility-wide assessment to determine what resources are necessary to care for residents competently during both day-to-day operations (including nights and weekends) and emergencies. | F |
| 2025-08-22 | F0607, F0609, F0610 | Develop and implement policies and procedures to prevent abuse, neglect, and theft. / Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities. / Respond appropriately to all alleged violations. | E |
| 2025-08-22 | F0844 | Follow rules about disclosure of ownership requirements and tell the state agency about changes in ownership and/or administrative personnel. | C |
| 2024-12-12 | F0880 | Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program. | D |
| 2024-10-17 | F0580, F0656, F0842, F0926 | Immediately tell the resident, the resident's doctor, and a family member of situations (injury/decline/room, etc.) that affect the resident. / Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured. / Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards. / Have policies on smoking. | E |
| 2024-10-17 | F0655, F0657 | Create and put into place a plan for meeting the resident's most immediate needs within 48 hours of being admitted / Develop the complete care plan within 7 days of the comprehensive assessment; and prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals. | D |
| 2024-07-31 | F0868 | Have the Quality Assessment and Assurance group have the required members and meet at least quarterly | F |
| 2024-07-31 | F0550, F0656, F0689, F0695, F0728, F0803, F0812, F0880, F0909 | Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights. / Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured. / Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents. / Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed. / Ensure that nurse aides who have worked more than 4 months, are trained and competent; and nurse aides who have worked less than 4 months are enrolled in appropriate training. / Ensure menus must meet the nutritional needs of residents, be prepared in advance, be followed, be updated, be reviewed by dietician, and meet the needs of the resident. / Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards. / Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program. / Regularly inspect all bed frames, mattresses, and bed rails (if any) for safety; and all bed rails and mattresses must attach safely to the bed frame. | E |
| 2024-07-31 | F0558, F0607, F0686 | Reasonably accommodate the needs and preferences of each resident. / Develop and implement policies and procedures to prevent abuse, neglect, and theft. / Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing. | D |
| 2024-07-31 | F0576, F0680 | Ensure residents have reasonable access to and privacy in their use of communication methods. / Ensure the activities program is directed by a qualified professional. | C |
| 2024-07-31 | F0732, F0941, F0944, F0949 | Post nurse staffing information every day. / Develop, implement, and/or maintain an effective training program that includes effective communications for direct care staff members. / Conduct mandatory training, for all staff, on the facility’s Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement Program. / Provide behavior health training consistent with the requirements and as determined by a facility assessment. | B |
| 2023-12-15 | F0908 | Keep all essential equipment working safely. | E |
| 2023-06-08 | F0558, F0567, F0711, F0727, F0761, F0812, F0868, F0880 | Reasonably accommodate the needs and preferences of each resident. / Honor the resident's right to manage his or her financial affairs. / Ensure the resident's doctor reviews the resident's care, writes, signs and dates progress notes and orders, at each required visit. / Have a registered nurse on duty 8 hours a day; and select a registered nurse to be the director of nurses on a full time basis. / Ensure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments, separately locked, compartments for controlled drugs. / Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards. / Have the Quality Assessment and Assurance group have the required members and meet at least quarterly / Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program. | E |
Why was Merkel Nursing Center fined 2 times?
| Date | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-16 | Fine | $137,108 |
| 2025-08-22 | Fine | $180,952 |
How is Merkel Nursing Center staffed relative to the TX average?
| Measure | This facility | TX average |
|---|---|---|
| Total nurse staffing hours per resident per day | 3.34902 | 3.38539 |
| Total nursing staff turnover (%) | 71.1 | 55.3 |
| Average number of residents per day | 18.7 | 75.8 |
Who owns Merkel Nursing Center?
Merkel Nursing Center is registered with CMS as For profit - Limited Liability company, operates under the legal business name EMI HEALTHCARE LLC.
| Role | Owner | Association date |
|---|---|---|
| DIRECT OWNERSHIP INTEREST | ALEXANDER, RAINEY | since 01/01/2022 |
| OPERATIONAL/MANAGERIAL CONTROL | ALEXANDER, RAINEY | since 01/01/2022 |
| ADP OF THE SNF | STROH PROPERTIES LP, ALEXANDER, JOE, MARTINEZ IRIZARRY, AXEL, STROH, CLARENCE | since 01/01/2022 |
Were you or a family member harmed at Merkel Nursing Center?