Illinois Nursing Home Administrators (NHA) Practice Exam

Which of the following statements is not true when a facility receives a notice of a Level A violation?

1. The facility must eliminate the violation immediately or within a fixed period of time not exceeding 15 days.

2. The facility may request, and the Dept. may allow, 30 days for the abatement of the violation if the POC requires a substantial capital improvement.

3. The Dept. will impose a plan of correction and a time schedule for the correction of the violation.

4. The Dept. will impose a conditional license which will replace any other license held by the facility and which may be revoked if the Dept. finds substantial failure by the facility to correct the violation.

The correct answer is: The Dept. will impose a conditional license which will replace any other license held by the facility and which may be revoked if the Dept. finds substantial failure by the facility to correct the violation.

The correct choice indicates that the statement concerning the imposition of a conditional license in case of a Level A violation is not true. In Illinois, when a facility is issued a Level A violation, the Department typically takes a more standardized approach, focusing on required corrections rather than the immediate imposition of a conditional license that supersedes any existing licenses. While the facility is certainly obligated to correct the violation and may be given a reasonable timeframe to do so, the regulatory framework does not automatically lead to the issuance of a conditional license that would replace any other licenses held by the facility solely based on receiving a Level A violation notice. Instead, the Department may focus on plans of correction and the implementation of corrective actions to resolve the violation rather than taking such severe action right away. This understanding is crucial for nursing home administrators, as it clarifies the implications of receiving a Level A violation and helps them navigate the regulatory landscape appropriately while ensuring compliance and facility improvement.