Untimely Response to Resident Requests
Summary
The facility failed to provide care in a manner and environment that promotes each resident's quality of life by not responding timely to residents' requests for assistance. This was reported by 15 out of 33 interviewed residents. The deficiency was identified through a review of clinical records, facility-provided documentation, grievances lodged with the facility, minutes from Resident Council meetings, and resident and staff interviews. Residents expressed concerns that staff did not answer their requests for assistance via the nurse call bell system in a timely manner, leading to extended wait times for care and assistance, including instances where residents were left soaked in urine or in pain while waiting for help. The Resident Council meeting minutes from January 23, 2024, and multiple grievances filed in January and February 2024, highlighted the issue of untimely responses to call bells. During random interviews conducted on March 20, 2024, residents from various units reported waiting times ranging from 20 minutes to over an hour for staff to respond to their call bells. Specific instances included residents waiting for assistance with incontinence care, pain management, and basic needs like getting water. The residents indicated that these delays occurred across different shifts, with some residents experiencing daily delays. Interviews with individual residents provided detailed accounts of their experiences. For example, Resident 141 reported waiting over an hour for assistance and being reprimanded by staff for needing a change of bed linens due to incontinence. Resident 6 mentioned waiting 20-30 minutes multiple times a week, particularly during the day shift at lunchtime. Resident 163 expressed frustration over waiting for pain medication, sometimes for up to an hour. The Nursing Home Administrator acknowledged the expectation for residents to be treated with dignity and respect but could not explain the widespread reports of untimely staff responses, which negatively affected the residents' quality of life in the facility.
Penalty
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