Failure to Provide Timely Written Notification of Room Change to Responsible Party
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a resident was moved from one room to another without the responsible party (RP) receiving prior written notification, as required by federal regulations and the facility's own policy. The resident, who had a moderately impaired mental status as indicated by a Brief Interview for Mental Status (BIMs) score of 8, was determined by the Director of Nursing (DON) to lack the capacity to make decisions, making it necessary for the RP to be notified of significant changes such as a room transfer. Documentation in the resident's medical record showed that the room change took place at 5 p.m. on July 16, 2024. However, the RP was not notified of the move until July 24, 2024, and this notification was made via phone with a voicemail left. The facility's policy required that the resident, the RP, and all affected roommates receive timely advance notice, either orally or in writing, including the reason for the change, prior to any room or roommate assignment change. During interviews and record reviews, the DON confirmed that the RP was not notified before the room change occurred, and that the facility's policy was not followed in this instance. The lack of timely notification to the RP before the room change constituted a violation of the resident's rights under federal regulations and the facility's own procedures.