Surprise !

Nursing-home operators surprised by state inspectors have no time to put their houses in order. They can’t hide patients with bedsores, clean the rooms or even change the linen while the inspector is at the door.

Surprise inspections are part of the California Department of Health Services’ aggressive assault on problem facilities. The crackdown, which started as an experiment last month, has been continued indefinitely. The vigilance should reassure the state’s 100,000 citizens in nursing homes.

In the past, however, some poor operators were warned in time to cover up problems, according to the Little Hoover Commission. The state’s new surprise inspections should catch poor operators off their guard and guarantee better care for all nursing-home patients.