CALA Facility Operations Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A maintenance staff member discovers a significant water leak in the ceiling of a resident's room during night shift. What is the immediate priority?
- Document the leak in the maintenance log and schedule repair for morning
- Relocate the resident to a safe room and contain the leak as much as possible (Correct answer)
- Call the administrator at home to get approval before taking any action
- Wait until the next shift change to assess the situation with more staff
Correct answer: Relocate the resident to a safe room and contain the leak as much as possible
Resident safety is always the first priority; the resident must be moved immediately and the leak contained to prevent further damage or injury.
Question 2: Under OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom), assisted living facilities must maintain Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for all hazardous chemicals. Where must these SDS documents be accessible?
- Locked in the administrator's office for security purposes
- In a readily accessible location during all work shifts (Correct answer)
- Only in the housekeeping supply closet where chemicals are stored
- Uploaded to the facility's secure cloud storage system only
Correct answer: In a readily accessible location during all work shifts
OSHA requires SDS documents to be readily accessible to employees during their work shifts, not locked away or only digitally stored.
Question 3: A facility's fire suppression sprinkler system requires annual inspection. Who is qualified to perform this inspection?
- The facility's head of maintenance if they have 5+ years of experience
- Any licensed contractor regardless of specialty
- A licensed fire protection contractor certified in sprinkler systems (Correct answer)
- The local fire marshal only
Correct answer: A licensed fire protection contractor certified in sprinkler systems
Sprinkler system inspections must be performed by licensed fire protection contractors certified specifically in sprinkler systems per NFPA 25 standards.
Question 4: When conducting a preventive maintenance program for an assisted living facility's HVAC system, how often should air filters typically be replaced in common areas?
- Once per year during the seasonal change
- Every 5 years or when visibly dirty
- Monthly to quarterly depending on system specifications and usage (Correct answer)
- Only when residents or staff complain about air quality
Correct answer: Monthly to quarterly depending on system specifications and usage
HVAC filters in assisted living facilities should be replaced monthly to quarterly based on manufacturer specifications and usage to maintain indoor air quality for vulnerable residents.
Question 5: A facility manager is reviewing vendor contracts for laundry services. Which clause is most critical to include to protect residents?
- A price lock guarantee for three years
- Confidentiality provisions preventing staff from discussing pricing
- Service level agreements specifying turnaround times and quality standards (Correct answer)
- A clause preventing the vendor from serving competitor facilities
Correct answer: Service level agreements specifying turnaround times and quality standards
Service level agreements defining turnaround times and quality standards are essential to ensure residents receive clean linens and clothing reliably without service disruptions.
Question 6: During an emergency evacuation drill, an administrator notices some staff are unfamiliar with the location of secondary evacuation routes. What corrective action is most appropriate?
- Terminate the staff members who did not know the routes
- Document the deficiency and conduct targeted retraining before the next drill (Correct answer)
- Post a single sign at the main entrance listing all evacuation routes
- Report the deficiency to the state licensing agency immediately
Correct answer: Document the deficiency and conduct targeted retraining before the next drill
Documenting drill deficiencies and conducting targeted retraining is the appropriate corrective action, ensuring all staff are competent before the next emergency.
Question 7: A resident's family member complains that their loved one's room temperature is consistently too cold. What is the most appropriate initial step for the facility manager?
- Tell the family member that the thermostat is set to the state-required temperature and cannot be changed
- Provide the resident with extra blankets and close the case
- Investigate the HVAC function in that room and check if the resident's comfort preferences are documented in their care plan (Correct answer)
- Immediately replace the entire HVAC unit for that wing
Correct answer: Investigate the HVAC function in that room and check if the resident's comfort preferences are documented in their care plan
Investigating the physical system and checking care plan documentation addresses both the mechanical issue and the resident's individualized comfort needs simultaneously.
CALA Facility Operations Management 2
A maintenance staff member discovers a significant water leak in the ceiling of a resident's room during night shift.
What is the immediate priority?