Failure to Implement Behavioral Health Interventions for Aggressive Resident
Summary
The facility failed to ensure necessary behavioral health care and services were provided to a resident, identified as RI #335, who exhibited physically and verbally aggressive behaviors, as well as homicidal and suicidal ideations. On one occasion, RI #335 was sent to the hospital emergency room after being physically and verbally abusive to staff and expressing homicidal and suicidal ideations. Upon returning from the hospital, the facility did not develop a plan to ensure the safety of other residents, nor were any new orders or interventions implemented. The deficiency was highlighted when a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) witnessed RI #335 in another resident's room, attempting to smother the resident with a pillow. This incident occurred shortly after RI #335's return from the hospital, during which time no nursing assessment was conducted, and no interventions were put in place to address the resident's aggressive behaviors. Interviews with facility staff revealed that there was an expectation that the hospital would have kept RI #335, and as a result, no immediate interventions were planned upon the resident's return. The facility's policy on Behavioral Health Services was not adhered to, as it mandates that necessary behavioral health care services be person-centered and reflect the resident's goals for care while ensuring safety. Despite RI #335's history of aggressive behavior and cognitive impairment, the facility did not implement appropriate interventions or conduct a comprehensive assessment upon the resident's return from the hospital, leading to a situation that posed a risk of serious harm to other residents.
Removal Plan
- Resident #335 was redirected from the Dining room by the Administrator after yelling, throwing things and grabbing at staff.
- Social services made referrals for Psych services related to physical and verbally abusive behaviors and suicidal ideation. Charge Nurse sent RI #335 to the ER and transported by HEMSI.
- Resident #335 returned from the hospital by HEMSI with no new orders. Labs were drawn at the ER. Per ER records resident denied any complaints, denied suicidality and homicidal ideations.
- Resident's #334 and #335 were separated by the CNA.
- Resident #334 was assessed by the Charge Nurse, with no injuries noted.
- The Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner assessed Resident #334 and documented in a provider note with no negative findings. Resident #334 was assessed by the Nurse with no negative findings.
- Resident #335 was placed on one on one by the Charge Nurse until resident transferred to the hospital by HEMSI and ultimately discharged.
- Resident interviews were conducted by the Social Services Director and Activity Coordinator with a BIMS of 13 or greater regarding physical or verbal abuse by another resident with no negative findings.
- Residents with a BIMS of 12 or less, a body audit was completed by the Director of Nursing and Charge Nurse with no negative findings.
- Alabama Department of Health, Adult Protective Services, and law enforcement were notified of the reported events by the Administrator.
- Resident interviews were conducted by the Social Services Director with a BIMS of 13 or greater regarding abuse by anyone with no negative findings.
- Residents with a BIMS of 12 or less, a body audit and observation for abuse and behaviors was completed by the Director of Nursing, Staffing Coordinator, and Charge Nurse with no negative findings.
- Resident interviews using a Resident Psychosocial Health Questionnaire were conducted by Social Services Director with BIMS of 13 or greater to determine resident's mood, behaviors, and thoughts such as anxiety, agitation, depression, suicidal and homicidal ideations, with no new negative findings.
- Charge Nurse made notifications to the practitioners and responsible parties for resident #334 and #335.
- Clinical Record Review was initiated and completed by the Director of Clinical Education and Regional Nurse Managers to include clinical notes, event notes, and daily skilled notes to identify any potential residents for instances of allegations of potential/actual abuse, aggressive, distress, and combative behaviors, and suicidal and homicidal ideations, with no new unknown findings.
- Inservice was provided by the Assistant President of Operations and the Regional Nurse Manager to the Administrator, DON, Staffing Coordinator, Social Services, and Receptionist/CNA on the Abuse Policy Protocol, updated Behavior Health Services Policy, and interventions related to abuse, aggressive, distress and combative behaviors, and suicidal/homicidal ideation. Education was also provided regarding staff unavailable to receive education will not be permitted to work until required education is completed.
- The Staffing Coordinator was designated as responsible for ensuring staff are educated on abuse prohibition plan, behavioral health services policy, and list of interventions for behaviors.
- Inservice was provided by the DON, Staffing Coordinator, Social Services, and Receptionist/CNA on the Abuse Policy Protocol, updated Behavior Health Services Policy, and interventions related to abuse, aggressive, distress, and combative behaviors, and suicidal/homicidal ideation to all staff. Staff unavailable to receive education will not be permitted to work until the required education is completed. 73 out of 77 employees have been educated.
- Competency and validation questions were answered by staff currently working to ensure competency verbalized from education received.
- The Regional Nurse Manager placed signage in break rooms, nurses stations, and behavior communication binders that list interventions for behaviors including abuse, aggressive, distress and combative behaviors, and suicidal/homicidal ideation. This communication binder is used as a communication tool for staff to note resident behaviors, new or changes. This communication binder is brought to morning QA by a member of the Behavior Committee and reviewed during QA to determine appropriate interventions.
- Regional Nurse Manager inserviced the DON, Staffing Coordinator and Risk Manager that upon return from a transfer when ER deems residents appropriate for return for residents sent out related to abuse, aggressive, distress, and combative behavior, and suicidal/homicidal ideations a behavioral assessment should be conducted. This form will help us determine if behaviors are present and require interventions upon return to the facility after a transfer related to abuse, aggressive, distress, and combative behavior, and suicidal/homicidal ideations.
- The DON, Staffing Coordinator, and Risk Manager in-serviced Nursing Staff that upon return from a transfer when ER deems residents appropriate for return for residents sent out related to abuse, aggressive, distress, and combative behavior, and suicidal/homicidal ideations a behavioral assessment should be conducted using the Resident Return from Transfer Behavior assessment form. This form will help us determine if behaviors are present and require interventions upon return to the facility after a transfer related to abuse, aggressive, distress, and combative behavior, and suicidal/homicidal ideations. Nursing Staff unavailable to receive education will not be permitted to work until the required education is completed. 20 out of 22 Nurses have been educated.
- Adhoc QAPI was conducted to include Administrator, Director of Nursing, Senior President of Operations, Assistant President of Operations, Regional Nurse Manager, Assistant President of Clinical Operations, Regional Nurse Manager to discuss resident to resident altercation event, education, root cause, and interventions.
- The Medical Director was notified of the immediate jeopardy citations by the Assistant President of Operations.
- A Root cause analysis was conducted by the Administrator, Regional Director of Operations, Assistant President of Clinical Operations, Regional Nurse Manager, Directors of Nursing, Assistant President of Quality, Director of Clinical Education. Root cause was identified as ineffective training and education related to behavioral health services.
- QAPI meeting was conducted to include Administrator, Director of Nursing, Staffing Coordinator, Dietary Manager, Activity Coordinator, Treatment Nurse, Receptionist, MDS Coordinator, Social Service Director, Business Office Manager, Maintenance Director, Regional Nurse Manage, Assistant President of Operations, Regional Nurse Manager, Medical Director, Assistant President of Clinical Operations, Senior President, and Director of Clinical Education regarding Immediate Jeopardy citations, Abuse and Behavior Health Services policy review, education, interventions for immediate removal plan, Medical Director notification, facility assessment updated/reviewed and root cause analysis determined.
- Behavior Health Services Policy reviewed with recommendation made to include suicidal and homicidal ideations under procedures- to include risk factors, triggering events, examples used to harm self. Definition of Suicidal Ideation added to provide clarification of terminology related to behavioral health services.
- Updated Intervention list attachment included in the updated Behavior Health Policy for behaviors to include immediate action steps to implement related to abuse, aggressive, distress, and combative behaviors, and Suicidal and Homicidal Ideations.
- The facility assessment plan was revised to include suicidal ideations.
- A Governing Body meeting was held to include the Administrator, Director of Nursing, Assistant President of Operations, Assistance President for Clinical, Senior President of Operations, and Regional Nurse Managers to discuss the corrective action plans to address the immediate concerns for F 600, F 740, F 741 and F 867 for Resident's #334 and #335 and all current residents in the facility have the potential to be affected. The Medical Director agreed with the current action plan and had no new recommendations.
- This Behavior Communication binder is brought to morning QA by a member of the Behavior Committee and reviewed during QA to determine any new or changes in behaviors, intervention implementation and appropriateness and will be revised as necessary.
- Upon return from a transfer when ER deems resident appropriate for return for residents sent out related to abuse, aggressive, distress, and combative behavior, and suicidal/homicidal ideations a Resident Return from Transfer Behavior assessment will be conducted. This will help us determine if behaviors are present and require interventions upon return to the facility after a transfer related to abuse, aggressive, distress, and combative behavior, and suicidal/homicidal ideations. For any resident discharged and readmitted a readmission assessment is already part of the readmission process and is completed to include an abuse and behavior section. Nursing Staff was educated that upon return from a transfer when ER deems residents appropriate for return for residents sent out related to abuse, aggressive, distress, and combative behavior, and suicidal/homicidal ideations a behavioral assessment should be conducted using the Resident Return from Transfer Behavior assessment form. This form will help us determine if behaviors are present and require interventions upon return to the facility after a transfer related to abuse, aggressive, distress, and combative behavior, and suicidal/homicidal ideations. Nursing Staff unavailable to receive education will not be permitted to work until the required education is completed. 20 out of 22 Nurses have been educated.
Penalty
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