Industry · CA
Serious Hospital Nursing Citations Nearly Double Since 2019
Becker's Hospital Review analysis of CMS deficiency data finds that condition-level nursing citations at short-term acute care hospitals rose from 6.3% of surveys with deficiencies in 2019 to 12% in 2025. California drove much of the increase, going from seven such citations in 2019 to 76 in 2025 and now accounting for 42% of the national total, largely due to a sharp rise in inspection volume and more extensive surveys. Even outside California, the rate climbed about 45% over the same period. The citations reflect lapses in nursing practice and supervision, such as failures to monitor or reassess patients, rather than raw staffing shortages, which have stayed relatively flat nationally since 2010.
Why it mattersHospitals, including Medicaid-serving safety-net facilities, face growing risk of Medicare Condition of Participation violations that can jeopardize program participation and trigger costly corrective action plans.