Failure to Provide Dignified and Timely Care Due to Ineffective Call Light System
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide care in a dignified manner for several residents, as evidenced by the experience of one resident with multiple medical conditions, including diabetes, stage 4 kidney disease, diverticulosis, irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea, and urine retention. This resident, who is her own responsible party, reported significant delays in staff response to her requests for assistance, particularly when using the call light system. She stated that the call light system was ineffective, with no visible indicator in the hallway when activated, and that staff relied on portable devices to receive alerts. However, staff were required to remove these devices during care, preventing them from noticing new calls for assistance during that time. The resident described waiting 20 to 30 minutes for staff to respond, which caused her pain and frustration, especially when she needed to use the bathroom. She resorted to using a metal call bell to get attention when her initial call was not answered within 15 minutes. The resident also reported that staff attempted to take away her call bell, but she refused to give it up. These actions and inactions resulted in the resident feeling undignified and dissatisfied with the care provided, as her needs for timely assistance were not met.
Plan Of Correction
F550 1. Residents #5, 30, 35, and 40 still currently reside in the facility. The cited residents did not sustain harm from the deficient practice and are at their psychosocial baseline. Weekly Guardian Angel Rounds have been initiated. 2. Current residents have the potential to be affected by the deficient practice. Residents were interviewed by 4/25/2025 during Guardian Angel Rounds to ensure resident rights were being met and any issues/concerns were addressed and reported. A weekly resident council will be held x 4 weeks to ensure the current residents' needs are addressed. 3. Policy on Resident Rights was reviewed and deemed appropriate, all staff were in-serviced by the Admin/designee by 4/25/2025. 4. The QAPI committee has directed the DON/designee to perform random weekly audits of staff providing care to ensure that resident rights are being observed. The Administrator is responsible for ensuring that substantial compliance is attained through the Plan of Correction and is maintained thereafter. The results will be provided to the QAPI Committee for further follow-up and review.