Failure to Inform Residents of Appointments in Advance
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to inform residents in advance of their proposed care, specifically regarding appointments, for two out of seven residents. The facility's policy on resident rights, reviewed on December 3, 2024, states that residents should be informed in a manner that is easy to understand, allowing them to request, refuse, or discontinue treatment. During a group interview, residents expressed concerns about not being notified in advance of their appointments, which previously were communicated via index cards. Residents reported that they were only informed on the day of the appointment, leaving them insufficient time to prepare. A clerk acknowledged the lack of a current process to notify residents, and the Nursing Home Administrator confirmed the failure to inform residents in advance of their care.
Plan Of Correction
Resident R39 and R66 concerns were addressed by the appointments being rescheduled. A new process was implemented to ensure that residents are aware of their appointments timely. This process involves activities delivering appointment sheets when they pass out mail so the resident has prior knowledge of appointment details. Education on the new process of informing residents when their appointments are, will be provided to nursing, activities, and resident council by Administrator or designee on or before 2/18/2025. Audits will be conducted by the DON or designee to ensure the appointment process is being followed 3 x a week x 4 weeks and monthly X 1 month. Audit results will be reviewed through the monthly QAPI process/meeting.