F0757 F757: Ensure each resident’s drug regimen must be free from unnecessary drugs.
J

Failure to Respond to Elevated INR in Resident on Coumadin

Highland Pointe Health & Rehab CenterHighland Heights, Ohio Survey Completed on 06-14-2024

Summary

The facility failed to appropriately respond to an elevated International Normalized Ratio (INR) for a resident receiving Warfarin (Coumadin) for atrial fibrillation. On a specific date, the resident's INR was reported as abnormally high at 4.9, indicating that the resident's blood was too thin. Despite this, the nursing staff did not notify the physician or stop the administration of Coumadin, continuing to administer the medication on subsequent days. This oversight led to the resident experiencing nose and gum bleeding, prompting the resident to call 911 for emergency transport to the hospital. Upon arrival at the hospital, the resident's INR was found to be critically high at 7.2, necessitating treatment with Vitamin K to counteract the effects of the anticoagulant. The resident was hospitalized for ongoing care and treatment. The facility's failure to monitor and act on the elevated INR results placed the resident at significant risk for bleeding and continued blood loss. The deficiency was identified through a review of the resident's medical records, hospital records, and other documentation. It was found that the nursing staff, including specific LPNs, did not check the resident's PT/INR levels before administering Coumadin and failed to notify the medical provider of the abnormal INR levels in a timely manner. This lack of action and communication contributed to the resident's adverse health event.

Removal Plan

  • Resident #11 was discharged to the hospital.
  • The Director of Nursing (DON), Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON) #918 and Registered Nurse (RN) Unit Manager (UM) #922 reviewed Resident #11's medical record, medication administration record (MAR), progress notes and laboratory results (labs) to identify the root cause related to the bleeding incident.
  • The facility identified the root cause as nursing staff including Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) #883 and LPN #963 failed to check Resident #11's PT/INR level prior to administering Coumadin 7.5 mg to Resident #11 and failed to notify medical doctor (MD)/Certified Nurse Practitioner (CNP) #980 of Resident #11's abnormal INR level in a timely manner.
  • The DON, ADON #918, RN UM #922 and Regional RN (RRN) #979 completed an in house audit and confirmed four residents resided in the facility who receive Coumadin including Residents #38, #44 #76 and #82.
  • Resident records for Residents #38, #44, #76 and #82 were reviewed which included the lab reports, medication administration records (MARs), progress notes and care plans to ensure that abnormal labs were reported to Nurse Practitioner (NP) #980 in a timely manner and that Coumadin was not administered to residents with a PT/INR greater than 3.0, without negative findings.
  • The DON, RN ADON #918, RN UM #922 and Regional RN #979 completed assessments/skin checks on Residents #38, #44, #76 and #82 (receiving Coumadin) to ensure the residents did not have signs of bleeding or bruising.
  • RRN #979 completed competencies, in person with return demonstration, with the DON, ADON #918 and RN UM #922 to review PT/INR blood work prior to administering Coumadin and education was provided on reporting of abnormal labs to CNP #980 of the specific resident by the end of the shift.
  • LPN #883 and LPN #963 (two nurses who were out of compliance related to the Immediate Jeopardy) were educated (in person) by the DON, with return demonstration, on checking residents PT/INR blood work prior to administering Coumadin and on reporting of abnormal labs to CNP #980 of the specific Resident by end of shift.
  • RRN #979 completed an audit of the lab work for Residents #38, #44, #76 and #82. NP #980 was notified of all lab results.
  • The audit revealed Resident #76's PT/INR lab work had an INR of 3.6 and the NP was notified and ordered to hold the Coumadin dose and repeat the INR.
  • The DON, ADON #918 and RN UM #922 completed competencies with LPN #883 and LPN #963, in person with return demonstration, on checking residents PT/INR prior to giving Coumadin and to ensure that the lab results are reported to CNP #980 of the specific Resident by end of shift.
  • The facility held an emergency Quality Assurance Performance Improvement (QAPI) meeting.
  • The QAPI meeting was held to review the root cause, reviewed the facility abatement plan due to the nurses administering Coumadin prior to checking Resident #11's PT/INR labs and not notifying NP #980 responsible for Resident #11's care, by the end of the shift.
  • The DON developed and implemented a PT/INR Coumadin flow sheet.
  • ADON #918 and RN UM #922 were educated on the form, how to implement the form, when to use the form and what to do for abnormalities identified on the form.
  • Both nurses would print Coumadin lab reports five days a week at Clinical Morning Meetings to review any changes in orders due to any abnormal lab results & to ensure the CNP of the specific resident was notified of the results by the end of the reporting shift.
  • The Coumadin flow sheet was implemented by ADON #918 and RN UM #922.
  • The form would be completed each time a blood draw was ordered with results received for each resident on Coumadin.
  • The abnormal results would be reported to CNP #980 of the specific resident by end of the reporting shift.
  • The DON, ADON #918 and RN UM #922 completed education in person and via phone to all 17 staff LPNs and all six staff RNs on checking residents' PT/INR results prior to giving Coumadin and to ensure that the lab results were reported to NP #980 of the specific resident by the end of the reporting shift.
  • All 37 staff State tested Nursing Assistants (STNA) were educated on observing for abnormal effects of Coumadin including bleeding, bruising and black tarry stools and reporting abnormalities to the nurse.
  • The facility also used agency staffing including four agency RN's, eight agency LPN's and five agency STNA's who work as needed in the facility.
  • RRN #979 confirmed the agency staff members were educated over the phone and would not work in the facility unless they had received the education prior to their next scheduled shift.
  • The facility indicated all new hires would receive the education during orientation.
  • The DON, ADON #918 and RN UM #922 completed competencies to ensure 17 LPNs and six RNs were checking residents PT/INR prior to giving Coumadin and to ensure that the lab results are reported to NP #980 in a timely manner.
  • To ensure ongoing compliance, the DON/ADON/UM/Designee would audit PT/INR lab results and timely notification of the residents' NP four times a week for three weeks.
  • The audits would be completed beginning and the facility would then continue a monthly audit for the next two months, during clinical morning meetings, for verification the PT/INR results were reviewed and reported to the residents' NP as needed.
  • The results of the audits would be forwarded to the facility QAPI committee for additional review and recommendations.

Penalty

Fine: $28,275
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The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.

Resources

Below are regulatory guidelines relevant to this citation:

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F0757 F757: Ensure each resident’s drug regimen must be free from unnecessary drugs.
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Surveyors found that two residents did not receive medications in accordance with physician orders and drug administration guidelines. One resident on Metoprolol for hypertension and heart disease had the drug given nightly with blood pressure documented, but staff did not obtain or document the ordered apical pulse with hold parameters for HR <60 bpm. Another resident receiving weekly Fosamax for osteoporosis had the medication administered in the morning around the same time as breakfast service, despite orders to give it with a full glass of water on an empty stomach and drug information specifying administration at least 30 minutes before any food or other medications.

No penalty information released
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The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Implement Non-Pharmacological Interventions Before PRN Psychotropic Use
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F0757 F757: Ensure each resident’s drug regimen must be free from unnecessary drugs.
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No penalty information released
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The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Follow Ordered Vital Sign Parameters for Antihypertensive Medication
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F0757 F757: Ensure each resident’s drug regimen must be free from unnecessary drugs.
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A resident with a history of cerebral infarction and asthma was ordered Metoprolol Tartrate for HTN with instructions to hold the dose if SBP was below 110 or HR below 60, and to obtain and record vital signs to guide administration. Over an extended period, no SBP or HR values were documented on the MAR, and staff later confirmed that several doses should have been held but were not. This practice was inconsistent with the facility’s own medication administration policy requiring vital signs to be obtained and medications held when ordered parameters are not met, resulting in the resident receiving medication without adherence to prescribed hold parameters.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
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F0757 F757: Ensure each resident’s drug regimen must be free from unnecessary drugs.
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A resident without documented psychiatric diagnoses or anxiety symptoms was started on BuSpar and Trazodone following a psychiatric evaluation that relied on the resident’s self-reported sadness, anxiety, and sleep issues, while depression was still being ruled out. Nursing notes did not document the psychiatrist’s assessment or the new psychotropic orders on the day they were made, and there was no clear documentation that the responsible party was notified when BuSpar was initiated. The MAR showed BuSpar was entered and administered twice before being discontinued, and the responsible party later reported not understanding why the medications were started and expressed concern due to the resident’s prior adverse reactions to psychotropics. Interviews with ADONs revealed inconsistent accounts of when and how the responsible party was informed and showed that the rationale for Trazodone was not discussed, contrary to facility policy requiring immediate notification and documentation when there is a change in the resident’s status or treatment.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Unjustified and Poorly Documented Antibiotic Use for Two Residents
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F0757 F757: Ensure each resident’s drug regimen must be free from unnecessary drugs.
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Surveyors found that two residents received antibiotics without adequate justification, documentation, or defined duration. One resident with multiple chronic conditions and an indwelling catheter was given Cephalexin twice daily for infection prevention over an extended period with an indefinite stop date, no supporting lab results, and no current UTI, and the prescribing specialist was unaware of the ongoing therapy. Another resident with severe cognitive impairment and total dependence for ADLs was started on Cefdinir for a UTI by an NP, but the record contained no abnormal urinary signs, symptoms, or test results, and no urine culture was obtained before treatment. These practices did not follow the facility’s antibiotic stewardship policy requiring clear indications, start/stop dates, and appropriate clinical information for antibiotic use.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Ensure Physician Oversight and Adherence to Medication Parameters
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F0757 F757: Ensure each resident’s drug regimen must be free from unnecessary drugs.
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A resident returned from the ED with new pain and muscle relaxant prescriptions entered as verbal orders from an outside prescriber that were never signed, and there was no documented communication with any facility provider or in-house visit to review these medications, yet staff administered them along with multiple existing antianxiety, muscle relaxant, and analgesic drugs until the resident fell and was later diagnosed in the ED with polypharmacy. Another resident with hypotension had midodrine ordered with instructions to hold the dose when SBP exceeded a specified threshold, but nursing staff repeatedly administered the drug despite SBP readings above that level over several months, contrary to the written parameters. A third resident with ESRD, HTN, and multiple comorbidities was ordered clonidine with hold parameters tied to SBP and pulse, but there was no evidence that BP or HR were obtained for evening doses or that HR was monitored at all during the review period, and the regional nurse confirmed the parameters in the order itself were incorrect, while facility policy required medications to be administered as prescribed.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.

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