F0686 F686: Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.
K

Failure to Prevent and Manage Pressure Ulcers

Southland Rehabilitation And Healthcare CenterLufkin, Texas Survey Completed on 11-11-2024

Summary

The facility failed to provide necessary treatment and services to prevent the development of pressure injuries for two residents. One resident, who was initially not at risk for pressure ulcers, developed a wound on the sacrum that progressed from excoriation to a stage 4 pressure ulcer, leading to hospitalization with sepsis and osteomyelitis. The facility did not notify the Medical Director of the changes in the resident's wound condition, and the wound assessments were not accurately conducted. Another resident developed a wound on the sacrum that became unstageable. The facility's skin report did not list this resident as having a wound, and there was a lack of proper notification and assessment of the wound's condition. The treatment nurse and weekend RN were responsible for wound care, but there was no wound care physician visiting the facility, and the treatment nurse was not wound care certified. The facility's failure to follow its skin and wound policy, including notifying the Medical Director and accurately assessing pressure sores, led to the identification of an Immediate Jeopardy situation. The facility's lack of communication and proper wound care management placed residents at risk for worsening pressure injuries and decreased quality of life.

Removal Plan

  • The Medical Director was notified by the Executive Director.
  • The Attending Physician was notified by the Executive Director, of the IJ.
  • New Braden scales for the total census initiated and will be completed by Clinical Resources, Clinical Leaders MDS Nurse, ADON, and DON.
  • Audit completed by DON of all residents who are at risk for PU/PI, care plans and care profiles were updated for all residents at high risk to include personalized/individualized interventions/prevention.
  • Skin assessments were completed on all residents. These were conducted by the DON, ADON, MDS Nurse, Wound Care Nurse, and Clinical Resource.
  • Education initiated by Clinical Resource with, DON, ADON, Nurses, CMAs, and CNAs that included change in condition procedures for wounds, change in behaviors, refusal of care, turning and repositioning, notification of changes in wounds, interventions, and preventions, as well as communication between Nursing staff and health care professionals; will be completed. Any staff unable to attend will not be allowed to work unless they have received their training and knowledge check.
  • All licensed nurses will complete competency on skin assessments initiated and will be completed by DON, ADON, and Clinical Resource.
  • All CNA's will complete competency on skin check initiated and will be completed by DON, ADON, MDS Nurse, and Clinical Resource.
  • This training and competencies will be completed in-person with all staff prior to the start of their next shift. A member of management will be at the facility at each change of shift to ensure all staff complete training prior to going to work on the floor. Staff will not be allowed to work unless they have completed the training and competency checks. This training will also be included in the new hire orientation and will be included for any PRN staff prior to starting work on the floor. These staff will not be allowed to work unless they have received their training and knowledge check.
  • An ad hoc QAPI meeting regarding items in the IJ template will be completed. Attendees will include the Medical Director, Clinical Resource, Administrator, DON, ADON, and will include the plan of removal items and interventions.
  • The DON, ADON or Clinical Resource will verify staff competency with 10 staff weekly using the skin check competency checklists.
  • All residents with pressure ulcers will be reviewed during the weekly clinical meeting and the Medical Director will be consulted for any recommendations or suggestions, as necessary. Meetings attendees to include but not limited to the DON, ADON, Rehab Director, and Wound Nurse. The DON and Administrator will be responsible for ensuring this meeting is held weekly and all residents with pressure ulcers/pressure injury are reviewed.
  • Summary of IJ and corrective action to be reviewed by QAPI Committee weekly x 4 weeks or until substantial compliance established and continue monthly for 90 days to ensure ongoing compliance.
  • Resident #1 is no longer a resident in the facility.
  • Wound Care nurse was checked off on wound care, in-serviced on policies and procedures, change of condition, notification of physician, and responsible party.

Penalty

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.

Resources

Below are regulatory guidelines relevant to this citation:

See other F0686 citations
Failure to Implement Timely Interventions to Prevent Facility-Acquired Pressure Ulcer
D
F0686 F686: Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.
Short Summary

A resident with diabetes, heart failure, muscle weakness, severe cognitive impairment, incontinence, and limited mobility was identified as at risk for pressure ulcers, with care plans calling for turning/repositioning, use of a pressure-reducing device, and extensive staff assistance for ADLs. Despite these documented risks and interventions, the resident, who preferred to remain in a recliner or wheelchair and became less mobile after a foot fracture requiring a walking boot, developed a facility-acquired Stage 2 pressure ulcer on the buttocks. Wound assessments showed the ulcer’s presence and progression over time, indicating that timely and effective preventive measures were not implemented in accordance with the facility’s wound assessment and prevention policy.

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 Follow Wound Care Orders and Delay in Implementing New Treatment
D
F0686 F686: Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.
Short Summary

A resident receiving palliative care with multiple comorbidities, including CHF and acute kidney disease, had physician orders for specific left heel wound care that were not followed when an RN omitted the ordered normal-saline–moistened gauze and instead applied only a clean dry dressing. The same resident’s wound vac was discontinued per provider order, and prior wound care orders were stopped, but no new wound treatment was implemented for several days, with the new left heel dressing regimen not started until four days later. The ADON reported difficulty communicating with the hospice agency to clarify wound care orders and acknowledged not seeking a temporary order from the facility’s medical director.

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 Provide Timely Pressure Ulcer Assessment, Treatment, and Prevention
D
F0686 F686: Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.
Short Summary

Surveyors found that the facility failed to provide timely and appropriate pressure ulcer assessment, treatment, and prevention for two residents. One resident was admitted with a stage 3 buttock ulcer, but the Braden assessment was left incomplete, no pressure-ulcer risk care plan was initiated on admission, and wound consultant recommendations (including Medi-honey and preventive measures) were not promptly entered as physician orders or care-planned; weekly wound measurements were also missing while the ulcer enlarged and was described as stalled. Another resident with a right humerus fracture and sling was initially assessed as not at risk for pressure injuries, with no documentation of limited mobility or sling use, no early orders for a sling or skin checks under it, and a care plan that did not specify monitoring skin under the sling. Skin checks were inconsistently documented, and only after the family raised concerns was a large open elbow pressure injury and additional ankle/heel pressure areas identified, without comprehensive initial wound measurements, repeat Braden scoring, or updated care plans to address the new pressure areas and device-related skin monitoring.

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 Implement Individualized Pressure Ulcer Prevention and Treatment for High-Risk Residents
G
F0686 F686: Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.
Short Summary

Two residents at high risk for pressure ulcers did not receive consistent, individualized prevention and treatment measures, resulting in the development and worsening of multiple pressure injuries. One resident with severe cognitive impairment and high Braden risk, fully dependent on staff for mobility and hygiene, was repeatedly observed in bed with the head of bed elevated and sliding down, without documented q2h repositioning, individualized pressure-relief interventions, or consistent use of barrier cream, and CNAs and restorative staff were unaware of specific pressure-prevention measures for her. Another resident with multiple comorbidities, prior healed pressure ulcers, and a high Braden score developed recurrent stage II and III pressure ulcers to the coccyx and gluteal fold, a left heel DTI, and a left lateral leg stage II ulcer; ordered wound treatments were not documented as completed on at least one ordered date, he was not on a defined turning schedule despite being largely bedfast, and heel offloading and use of heel boots were inconsistently implemented and documented. In both cases, staff interviews and record review showed that facility practices did not consistently align with the facility’s own skin and pressure injury prevention policy requiring q2h repositioning, appropriate support surfaces, and systematic offloading for bedfast residents.

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 Accurately Assess, Care Plan, and Treat Pressure Ulcers for Multiple Residents
E
F0686 F686: Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.
Short Summary

Surveyors found that the facility failed to provide pressure ulcer care consistent with professional standards for three residents. One resident with hemiplegia and vascular dementia had a sacral wound that was omitted from the care plan and repeatedly left off weekly skin assessments, while heel wounds were documented without consistent measurements or staging and ordered treatments were not always recorded as given. A second resident with multiple comorbidities developed a sacral wound that progressed from MASD to an unstageable and then Stage 4 pressure injury with surgical debridement, yet the care plan was not updated to reflect the active pressure ulcer and specific interventions, and weekly skin assessments often lacked complete staging and measurements. A third resident with dementia and incontinence had an unstageable sacral ulcer and MASD, but weekly skin assessments were inconsistent, some ordered wound treatments and topical medications were not documented on the TAR, and nursing notes did not show that care was provided on those dates. Staff interviews revealed that the treatment nurse handled nearly all weekly skin assessments and wound care documentation, relied on the DON or wound physician for staging and measurements, and that facility policies requiring complete wound assessment and documentation were not consistently followed.

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 Implement Repositioning and Moisture Management for Stage 4 Pressure Injury
D
F0686 F686: Provide appropriate pressure ulcer care and prevent new ulcers from developing.
Short Summary

A resident with a stage 4 sacrococcygeal PI, Parkinson’s disease, hypertension, moderate cognitive impairment, and high assistance needs was not provided care consistent with the facility’s pressure injury prevention policy. Although the care plan included daily wound treatment and use of a LAL mattress, it lacked an individualized repositioning schedule and did not document education or reminders about repositioning. Facility documentation showed only that the resident was assisted to roll each shift, with no evidence of q2h turning in bed or of how often incontinence briefs were checked and changed. After the resident refused Foley catheter reinsertion, the IDT did not identify incontinence as a risk factor or add new wound-protective or moisture-preventive interventions, and the subsequent care plan for non-compliance omitted such measures. The TXN and DON confirmed that repositioning and protection of the wound from incontinence were not clearly implemented or reflected in the care plan, despite policy requirements.

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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