Failure to Conduct and Document Alarm Checks
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that door alarm checks and wander guard alarm checks were physically completed as documented, compromising the safety of residents. Two residents, one with severe cognitive loss and a low risk of elopement, and another with severe cognitive loss and a high risk of elopement, were involved. The facility's documentation indicated that door alarms were checked daily, but interviews and reviews revealed inconsistencies and falsifications in the records. Staff C, the Maintenance Supervisor, was responsible for conducting and documenting these checks. However, during his medical leave, the checks were not performed, and upon his return, he was instructed by the Administrator to backdate the documentation to cover the period he was absent. Staff C admitted to falsifying records under pressure from the Administrator, who later acknowledged that the checks had not been done and that the documentation was inaccurate. The facility's Corporate Compliance Program emphasizes the importance of accurate and complete record-keeping, prohibiting falsification of records. Despite this, the Administrator and Staff C engaged in practices that violated these standards, leading to a deficiency in maintaining a safe environment for residents. The lack of proper oversight and communication regarding the responsibility for alarm checks during Staff C's absence contributed to the deficiency.
Penalty
Resources
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