Facility Fails to Maintain Comfortable Water Temperatures for Residents
Summary
The facility failed to ensure residents had comfortable water temperatures for bathing, as observed, interviewed, and reviewed in records. Residents #14, #15, #16, and #17 complained that the water temperatures in their rooms were too cold for comfortable showers or bed baths. The facility's water temperature logs from October 6, 2023, through February 26, 2024, showed water temperatures in multiple resident rooms and community shower rooms were below the acceptable threshold of 105°F to 120°F. On March 6, 2024, the sampled residents' rooms still had water temperatures below the acceptable range, despite the facility's policy requiring periodic checks and maintenance of water temperatures within safe limits to prevent scalding and ensure comfort. Resident #14, with diagnoses including heart failure, pneumonia, anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, asthma, and respiratory failure, reported no hot water in their bathroom and refused to take showers due to the cold water. The surveyor confirmed the water temperature in Resident #14's bathroom was 75°F. Similarly, Resident #15, with a history of stroke and hemiplegia, also reported discomfort due to cold water, with the surveyor measuring the water temperature at 78°F. Staff members, including an LPN and a CNA, corroborated the residents' complaints, noting that the water temperatures had been cold for a long time and that they had informed the administration and maintenance director. Resident #16, with moderate cognitive impairment and a recent fracture, and Resident #17, with cancer and dementia, also reported cold water temperatures, refusing to take showers due to discomfort. The surveyor measured water temperatures in their rooms at 78°F and 80°F, respectively. The Maintenance Director, unaware of the required temperature range of 105°F to 120°F, confirmed the water was too cold for bathing. The Administrator acknowledged being unaware of the ongoing issue until a resident complaint in a council meeting on January 29, 2024, and was not informed that the problem persisted even after replacing a hot water heater.
Penalty
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