Inadequate Bathroom Privacy Due to Curtain
Summary
The facility failed to provide adequate privacy for a resident's bathroom by using a curtain instead of a door. During a facility tour, it was observed that the bathroom entrance of a resident's room was covered with a full-length curtain on a rod, which extended two to three inches away from the wall. This setup left a wide gap on both sides of the curtain, allowing visibility into the bathroom from the hallway when the bedroom door was open. The Maintenance Director confirmed these findings during the observation.
Penalty
Resources
Below are regulatory guidelines relevant to this citation:
Three resident rooms lacked privacy curtains, and eighteen rooms had soiled or stained privacy curtains on the 1st floor dementia care unit. This failure to provide adequate privacy and maintain clean equipment was confirmed by facility leadership.
A resident's room was found to have a window with broken glass pieces taped with duct tape and additional broken glass between the glass panel and screen. The same room also contained a dresser with two broken drawer fronts, with the broken pieces left inside the drawers. These issues were confirmed by the DON during observation, indicating a failure to provide a safe environment.
A resident using an alternating pressure mattress experienced discomfort and had to relocate to the lobby due to a malfunctioning mattress. The facility lacked a policy for maintaining patient care electrical equipment and did not have documentation of inspection or maintenance for the mattress. The Maintenance Director was unaware of the requirement for electrical testing, leading to the deficiency.
Staff did not ensure privacy for residents in most semi-private rooms, as both closets were located on one side, requiring a resident to cross the privacy curtain and enter their roommate's space to access personal belongings. Interviews with two cognitively intact residents and staff confirmed this practice, and facility leadership acknowledged the issue.
Surveyors found that multiple resident bathrooms lacked blinds, curtains, or frosted windows, resulting in inadequate privacy. A family member raised concerns, and surveyors confirmed that bathrooms were visible from outside. The MD was unaware of any window coverings ever being used, and the DON acknowledged the issue.
The facility failed to prepare 33 resident rooms in B Building for occupancy, as they were used for storage and required cleaning and repairs. These rooms, identified as Title 18 Medicare-Only and dually certified beds, had not been used since 2020. Interviews revealed that the rooms could not be made livable quickly, and the corporate plan to remodel the building was not prioritized due to low census. The facility lacked a policy on bed classification, and the corporation did not want to declassify the rooms due to recertification costs.
Deficiency in Resident Room Privacy and Cleanliness
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed that three out of thirty-two resident rooms on the 1st floor dementia care unit did not have privacy curtains, and eighteen rooms had privacy curtains that were soiled or had brown stains. These observations were made over a three-day period. The lack of privacy curtains and the presence of soiled curtains were confirmed during interviews with the Nursing Home Administrator and the Director of Nursing. The deficiency was identified as a failure to provide adequate privacy and maintain clean equipment in resident rooms, as required by regulations.
Plan Of Correction
Soiled curtains were immediately replaced with clean privacy curtains and privacy curtains were hung in rooms that were missing privacy curtains. Facility-wide audit conducted by NHA/Designee to ensure resident rooms have privacy curtains and are free from soilage. NHA/Designee provided education to housekeeping and maintenance staff on assuring that resident rooms have privacy curtains in place and free from soilage. NHA/Designee will audit random rooms to ensure privacy curtains are present and free from soilage. Audits will be done weekly x4 then monthly x2 or until compliance is achieved. Results will be discussed at monthly QAPI.
Failure to Maintain Safe Resident Room Environment
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency was identified when observations and staff interviews revealed that a resident's room on the Rehabilitation Unit had a window with broken glass pieces that were taped with duct tape, and additional broken glass pieces were found between the glass panel and the screen. Further inspection of the same room showed a dresser with two broken drawer fronts, with the broken pieces placed inside the drawers. These conditions were confirmed by the DON during the observation. The facility failed to provide a safe environment for the resident as required by regulations.
Failure to Maintain and Document Safe Operation of Patient Care Electrical Equipment
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain patient care electrical equipment in safe operating condition for a resident using an alternating pressure mattress. The facility did not have a policy regarding the maintenance of patient care electrical equipment, and there was no documentation available for the inspection or maintenance of the mattress. On observation, the resident was found lying in bed with the mattress, and reported having to sit in the lobby the previous day due to the mattress malfunctioning and feeling uncomfortable. The Corporate Executive confirmed that the Maintenance Director was unaware of the electrical testing requirement for the mattress, resulting in the absence of maintenance records.
Failure to Provide Resident Privacy Due to Closet Placement in Semi-Private Rooms
Penalty
Summary
Facility staff failed to provide adequate privacy for residents in 71 out of 88 semi-private rooms by not ensuring that each resident had a closet located on their designated side of the room. In these rooms, both built-in closets were situated on one resident's side, requiring the other resident to cross the privacy curtain and enter their roommate's space to access their personal belongings. This arrangement was confirmed through direct observation during the survey, as well as through interviews with staff and residents. Interviews with cognitively intact residents revealed that they had to enter their roommate's side of the room to access their own closets. Staff interviews further confirmed that this was a common practice, and that some residents either could not or chose not to retrieve their belongings themselves, relying on staff assistance. The director of maintenance acknowledged the lack of closets on both sides of the semi-private rooms, and no policy regarding privacy in resident rooms was provided by facility administration.
Inadequate Privacy in Resident Bathrooms Due to Uncovered Windows
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified a deficiency related to inadequate privacy in resident bathrooms throughout the facility. During interviews and observations, it was noted that multiple resident bathrooms on the ground floor lacked blinds or curtains on the windows, and the windows were not frosted, allowing visibility from outside. Brackets for blinds or curtains were present but not in use. A family member of a resident expressed concerns about bathroom privacy, and during an exterior tour, surveyors confirmed that the interiors of these bathrooms were visible from outside. The Maintenance Director stated he was unaware of any blinds or curtains ever being used in these bathrooms, and the DON acknowledged the privacy concerns.
Facility Fails to Prepare Resident Rooms for Occupancy
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that 33 out of 85 resident rooms were equipped for adequate nursing care, comfort, and privacy. These rooms, located in B Building, were not resident ready and had not been used for residents since 2020. The facility had identified certain rooms as Title 18 Medicare-Only beds and others as dually certified (Title 18/19) beds, but these rooms were not prepared for resident occupancy. The deficiency was identified through observation, interviews, and record review, revealing that the rooms were being used for storage and required deep cleaning and cosmetic repairs. Interviews with the Corporate Compliance RN and the Administrator confirmed that the rooms could not be made livable within a reasonable timeframe. The Administrator stated that the building had been used for storage since before her tenure began in 2023, and the corporate plan to remodel the building for a rehabilitation unit had not been prioritized due to low census. Despite the rooms being functional, they were not suitable for residents without thorough cleaning and repairs. The facility lacked a policy regarding bed classification, and the corporation was reluctant to declassify the rooms due to the cost of recertification.
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