F0557 F557: Honor the resident's right to be treated with respect and dignity and to retain and use personal possessions.
J

Violation of Resident Rights for Justice-Involved Resident

Belle Care Nursing And Rehabilitation CenterTrenton, New Jersey Survey Completed on 06-26-2024

Summary

The facility failed to ensure that a justice-involved resident was treated with dignity and respect, as required by federal guidelines. The resident was physically restrained and secluded, unable to participate in group activities, community dining, or communicate freely with visitors. The resident was confined to their room, guarded by corrections officers, and was not allowed to leave the room at will or retain and use personal possessions. This treatment led the resident to feel lonely and depressed, expressing a desire to return to the correctional facility. The resident, who had been at the facility for over a year, was admitted with several medical conditions, including paraplegia, chronic pain, depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, insomnia, and a stage 4 pressure ulcer. Despite receiving rehabilitation and wound care, the resident was not allowed to participate in activities or have visitors without approval from the correctional facility. The resident was also required to wear an orange jumpsuit, which caused embarrassment, and was not permitted to use the telephone or have privacy during care or visits. The facility's policies and practices, as observed by the surveyor, did not align with the resident's rights to a dignified existence and self-determination. The resident's care plan reflected restrictions on phone use and dining, and the facility's staff confirmed that the resident was always accompanied by corrections officers, even during rehabilitation sessions. The facility's administration acknowledged that the correctional facility controlled many aspects of the resident's life, including clothing, phone use, and visitation, which contributed to the resident's feelings of isolation and depression.

Removal Plan

  • The resident was returned to the CF.
  • The facility ended their contract with the CF to accept JIR and has no other contracts with additional CFs to accept JIRs.
  • The LNHA and DON were inserviced regarding CMS's S & C memo regarding JIR.
  • The LNHA was responsible for the implementation of all facility policies and regulations.

Penalty

Inspection fine: $27,571
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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:

See other F0557 citations
Failure to Provide Dignified Feeding Assistance
D
F0557 F557: Honor the resident's right to be treated with respect and dignity and to retain and use personal possessions.
Short Summary

Failure to Provide Dignified Feeding Assistance: A resident with cognitive impairment, depression, and vascular dementia was observed being assisted with breakfast by a CNA who was standing over her. The CNA described dignity measures during feeding, and the DON stated staff are expected to sit at eye level rather than stand when assisting residents with meals. The facility’s Dignity policy required residents to be treated with dignity and respect and to receive a dignified dining experience.

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 Treat Resident with Dignity and Respect
D
F0557 F557: Honor the resident's right to be treated with respect and dignity and to retain and use personal possessions.
Short Summary

Failure to Treat Resident with Dignity and Respect: A resident with dementia with agitation, TBI, and PTSD was reportedly spoken to in a demeaning and profane manner by a CNA during care after becoming upset and requesting a shower following bowel incontinence. A second CNA witnessed the exchange, and the DON’s interview summary reflected the resident reported being called an idiot and hearing profanity used by the CNA.

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.
Uncovered Urinary Catheter Bag Visible From Hallway
D
F0557 F557: Honor the resident's right to be treated with respect and dignity and to retain and use personal possessions.
Short Summary

A resident with an indwelling suprapubic catheter was observed in bed with an uncovered urinary drainage bag lying on the floor beside the bed and visible from the hallway. The resident’s care plan called for a dignity bag to cover the urine bag each shift and for the catheter bag and tubing to be positioned below the bladder and away from the room entrance, but the bag remained uncovered during repeated observations. An LPN confirmed the bag was visible and could not explain why staff did not cover it after the resident returned from a recent urology visit with a different drainage bag.

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 Treat Resident with Dignity
D
F0557 F557: Honor the resident's right to be treated with respect and dignity and to retain and use personal possessions.
Short Summary

Failure to Treat Resident with Dignity: A CNA responded inappropriately after a resident with dementia struck her during care, telling the resident, "If you hit me, I will hit you back." The resident's family member heard the remark and became upset. The ADM verified the CNA was suspended and stated residents must be treated in a safe, helpful, and dignified manner.

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.
Missing Personal Property Not Inventoried or Tracked
D
F0557 F557: Honor the resident's right to be treated with respect and dignity and to retain and use personal possessions.
Short Summary

Missing Personal Property Not Inventoried or Tracked: A resident with intact cognition and multiple chronic conditions had a wedding ring and fur coat go missing, but the facility had no completed personal property inventory, no dedicated missing-items log, and no documented investigation or objective evidence showing where the items went. The DON confirmed nursing staff did not itemize the resident’s belongings, and the administrator could not provide transfer records, transport checklists, or other documentation to account for the missing property.

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.
Rude and disrespectful incontinent care
D
F0557 F557: Honor the resident's right to be treated with respect and dignity and to retain and use personal possessions.
Short Summary

A resident with left hemiplegia, vascular dementia, and anxiety disorder was not treated with dignity and respect during incontinent care when a CNA was rude and rough while attempting to position her. The resident repeatedly called for help and asked for the CNA to be removed from the room, and another CNA completed the care after the first CNA left. A nurse and CNA both heard the resident complain that the CNA was rude and mean, and the resident later reported the care had been rough.

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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