Failure to Respect Resident's Rights and Dignity
Summary
The facility failed to maintain the dignity and respect of a resident, identified as Resident S, who was cognitively intact and had several medical conditions including COPD, morbid obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertensive heart disease, chronic systolic heart failure, and anxiety disorder. On a specific date, Resident S was in the lobby with her daughter and removed her oxygen tubing due to a lack of airflow. She requested assistance from LPN 5, who was at the nurse's desk, but was reportedly yelled at and told that LPN 5 was not her nurse. Another nurse eventually assisted with the oxygen tank. Later, when LPN 5 entered Resident S's room with RN 6 to administer medication, Resident S asked LPN 5 to leave due to the earlier incident. LPN 5 refused, leading to a confrontation where Resident S threw water at LPN 5, who then threatened to call the police. The facility's care plan for Resident S, dated the same day as the incident, noted behavioral expressions such as yelling, cursing, and throwing objects at staff. The care plan included strategies like providing care in pairs, ensuring safety, and using a calm approach. However, there was no documentation of a care plan meeting on the date specified by the Administrator, who was unaware of any reports of verbal abuse or the incident until later. The Director of Nursing (DON) acknowledged that LPN 5 should have left the room when asked by the resident and had not reported the incident to the Administrator or conducted any employee education. Interviews with other staff members, including CNA 8 and RN 9, indicated they had received education on handling residents with behaviors and would leave a room if requested by a resident. The facility's policy on resident rights emphasized the right to be treated with dignity and respect and to be free from verbal abuse. Despite this, the incident with Resident S highlighted a failure to uphold these rights, as the resident's request for LPN 5 to leave was not honored, and the situation escalated unnecessarily.
Penalty
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