Failure to Maintain Electric Beds as per Manufacturer's Guidelines
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that patient care-related electrical equipment, specifically electric beds, was properly maintained according to the manufacturer's specifications. During the Life Safety Code Survey, it was observed that electrically operated beds were in use throughout the facility without documented formal inspections or maintenance. The facility's policy on medical equipment management required that all medical and electrical patient care equipment be evaluated prior to use and maintained according to specific criteria. However, there was no inventory or unique identification for the electrically operated beds, and no preventative maintenance forms were available to indicate that electrical safety checks were conducted routinely as required by the manufacturer. The survey revealed that the M.C. Rexx brand bed manual specified that each bed should be inspected at least once a year by qualified technicians, with a detailed checklist provided for the inspection. Despite this, the facility did not maintain records of such inspections. The Environmental Services Director confirmed that beds were checked annually using a room audit form, but there were no unique identifiers for the beds, and specific beds were not identified during these audits. This lack of documentation and adherence to the manufacturer's maintenance requirements constituted a deficiency in the facility's compliance with the 2012 edition of NFPA 99, Health Care Facilities Code, which mandates the establishment of policies and protocols for testing patient care-related electrical equipment.
Plan Of Correction
Plan of Correction: Approved March 19, 2025 K921 Corrective Action- To ensure the facility meets all the requirements for NFPA 101 Electrical Equipment Testing and Maintenance in regards to the testing of portable patient care related electrical equipment (PCREE), specifically patient electric beds. 1. The Maintenance Director has obtained manufacturers recommendations for each type of in-house electrical bed, and created an auditing system to monitor testing of each type of bed per manufacturer recommendations. 2. The Maintenance Director will complete a full house audit of resident beds to ensure all bed types are inspected per manufacturer recommendations, and documented as required by the NFPA 101. 3. The Administrator will oversee in-services to all maintenance department staff in regard to the NFPA 101 guidelines for patient care related electrical equipment testing and maintenance requirements. 4. To prevent future deficit in this practice, the Maintenance Director will perform 1 audit per month for 3 months to ensure bed inspections have been performed and documented according to the manufacturers recommendations. The Administrator will monitor this process and review the results monthly at QAPI meetings. If continued improvement is required, the committee may make further recommendations. The Administrator will assume overall responsibility for the correction of K921.