Failure to Maintain Orderly Physical Environment
Summary
The facility failed to maintain an orderly physical environment in two units, as evidenced by multiple observations of unsanitary conditions and improper storage of personal items and linens. In the 100 Unit communal shower room, a shelf adjacent to the shower stall contained an unpackaged incontinence brief, a hairbrush with hair entangled in the bristles, and various hygienic bottled toiletries, along with a foul odor. Additionally, the common area across from the nurses' station had food debris, partially consumed beverages, and a single slipper on the floor. Five PVC mobile trash bins, some containing trash, were stored in the shower room, and a scale chair was cluttered with unpacked incontinence briefs, disposable glove boxes, and plastic bags. Resident #72's room had a chair with an unpackaged incontinence brief, towels, a linen sheet, and a hospital gown, which the resident did not want there. Similar issues were observed in other rooms and common areas, including untied bags of linen on the floor and unpackaged incontinence briefs left on chairs in residents' rooms, which residents expressed they did not want there. Interviews with staff, including a housekeeper and the Director of Nursing (DON), revealed a lack of clarity and adherence to proper storage protocols for linens and personal items. The housekeeper stated he was not responsible for removing linens from rooms, while the DON confirmed that linens and incontinence briefs should be stored in closets or carts, not on chairs or in common areas. The facility's policy on laundry and linen, which mandates that clean linen should remain hygienically clean and protected from environmental contamination, was not followed. The DON and the Licensed Nursing Home Administrator confirmed that nursing staff was responsible for removing linens and incontinence briefs from resident rooms and ensuring they were stored appropriately.
Penalty
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