F838: 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
F838 is one of the federal requirements every Medicare and Medicaid certified nursing home must meet. CMS describes it as: 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.
It sits in CMS's administration category.
CMS Health Deficiencies file, data as of September 1, 2026. The files hold each home's last three standard inspections and three years of complaint visits.
How seriously inspectors rate it
Every citation gets a letter for how much harm inspectors found and how many residents it touched (how to read the letters). 23.9% of F838 citations came from a complaint visit rather than a routine inspection.
By letter: B 26, C 145, D 185, E 141, F 436, G 3, J 1, K 1, L 1.
What inspectors wrote
Three recent F838 citations from different states, quoted from the inspectors' statements of deficiencies (CMS form 2567). Names are removed by CMS.
Inspectors wrote, July 24, 2026, scope and severity FBased on a review of facility documentation and staff interview it was determined that the facility failed to conduct and document a facility-wide assessment to determine what resources are necessary to care for its residents since their last standard survey (ending August 8, 2025).
Sweden Valley Manor, Coudersport, PA
Inspectors wrote, July 22, 2026, scope and severity DBased on interview and record review, the facility failed to appropriately pre-screen a resident before admission to determine whether the facility could meet the resident's needs and subsequently discharged the resident, because they were unable to provide the required care for one resident (Resident (R1) of one resident reviewed for the Facility Assessment. This failure had the potential to result in undue hardship for residents and disrupt the continuity of care.
Aria of Brookfield, Brookfield, WI
Inspectors wrote, July 16, 2026, scope and severity FBased on review of the facility assessment, staff interview, and policy review, the facility failed to ensure the facility assessment evaluated residents to determine the number of staff needed in the facility. This had the potential to affect all residents. The facility census was 55.
Embassy of Willard, Willard, OH
Most recent F838 citations at the harm or jeopardy level
Newest first, all 6 in the current files. Each home's page shows the citation in full context, with its correction status.
| Inspection | Home | Town | Letter | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 14, 2026 | Bedford Care Center of Picayune | Picayune, MS | J | Complaint |
| November 24, 2025 | Menorah Home & Hospital for Aged & Infirm | Brooklyn, NY | G | Complaint |
| October 28, 2025 | Sunplex Sub-Acute Center | Ocean Springs, MS | L | Complaint |
| October 4, 2023 | Henrico Health & Rehabilitation Center | Highland Springs, VA | G | Standard |
| September 21, 2023 | Santa Fe Post-Acute | Vista, CA | G | Complaint |
| August 4, 2018 | Diversicare of Foley | Foley, AL | K | Standard |
Most recent F838 citations
F838 citations by state
Counts depend on how many homes a state has and how often its inspectors visit, so a larger number is not by itself a worse record.
By inspection year: 2018 5, 2019 34, 2020 14, 2021 35, 2022 66, 2023 115, 2024 235, 2025 274, 2026 161.
Common questions
- What is F838 in a nursing home inspection?
- F838 is the federal requirement to "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". CMS files it under administration. A home cited under F838 did not meet that requirement at the inspection.
- How often is F838 cited?
- The CMS files as of September 1, 2026 list 939 F838 citations at 883 nursing homes, 232 of them in the 12 months to that date. 0.6% were rated as actual harm or immediate jeopardy.
- Is a F838 citation serious?
- It depends on the letter. Most F838 citations (81.2%) were rated as potential for more than minimal harm, D to F. 3 were immediate jeopardy, the most serious level.
The interpretive guidance inspectors use for each F-tag is CMS's State Operations Manual, Appendix PP. NursingHomeClear reports the citations as CMS records them and is not affiliated with CMS. All F-tags · Methodology