Failure to Provide Appropriate Post-Fall Care and Assessment
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that Resident #1 received appropriate treatment and care following an unwitnessed fall. The resident, who had severe cognitive impairment and multiple medical conditions including idiopathic peripheral autonomic neuropathy, head and neck cancer, and a history of falls, was found on the floor bleeding from his head. Despite the severity of the situation, the staff did not remain with the resident after discovering him on the floor, and an appropriate assessment was not completed. The resident sustained a laceration to the head and a skin tear to the shoulder, but the size, depth, and amount of bleeding or drainage from the injuries were not documented. Additionally, the resident's range of motion was not assessed, and neuro checks were not consistently performed as ordered, particularly during the period when the resident was sent to the hospital for further evaluation. The lack of thorough assessment and documentation could have placed the resident at risk of not receiving the necessary care and services to meet his physical, mental, and psychosocial needs. The report details that the resident was found on the floor by a CNA who then notified LVN A. LVN A performed a head-to-toe assessment, cleaned the resident's wounds, and administered pain medication. However, the assessment was incomplete as it did not include the size, depth, and amount of bleeding from the laceration, nor the size and color of the hematoma. The resident was assisted back into bed without a documented range of motion assessment. Neuro checks were initiated but were not consistently documented, especially during the time the resident was sent to the hospital. The resident was later diagnosed with a pelvic fracture, scalp hematoma, and multiple abrasions at the hospital. Interviews with staff revealed inconsistencies in the response to the fall. LVN A and other staff members did not follow the facility's policy for fall management and head injury follow-up, which required a thorough assessment and documentation of the resident's condition. The DON and other supervisory staff acknowledged that the documentation was incomplete and that the staff did not fully adhere to the protocols for assessing and documenting the resident's condition after the fall. The facility's policies on fall management and head injury follow-up were not adequately followed, leading to deficiencies in the care provided to Resident #1.
Penalty
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