Failure to Provide Designated Dining and Activity Room During Construction
Summary
The facility failed to provide a designated room for resident dining and activities during a period of construction, resulting in the use of the dining room, activity room, day care room, and medical record room as temporary sleeping quarters for displaced residents. The dining room/activity room, which is typically used for meals and activities, was repurposed to accommodate ten resident beds, while the day care room and medical record room were used for seven additional residents. This arrangement left no dedicated space for communal dining or activities, and residents were instead served meals at their bedside tables within these makeshift sleeping areas. Staff interviews confirmed that the relocation was due to an emergency plumbing issue in one of the facility's locked units, necessitating the movement of residents to available spaces throughout the building. The rooms were cleared and cleaned to accommodate the residents, and privacy curtains and call bells were provided at each bedside. However, the lack of a designated dining or activity area persisted throughout the duration of the construction, with staff and residents reporting that meals and activities were conducted at the bedside. Some residents expressed awareness of the temporary arrangement and described eating and receiving care in these non-traditional settings. Clinical record reviews indicated that several residents involved were cognitively intact, as evidenced by their Brief Interview for Mental Status (BIMS) scores. Staff also reported that residents' personal belongings were stored in a maintenance area, which was observed to contain maintenance tools and housekeeping equipment. Facility policies reviewed by surveyors referenced the use of dining and activity rooms as safe areas during partial evacuations, but did not address the prolonged lack of a designated dining or activity space for residents during extended construction events.
Penalty
Resources
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The facility failed to provide adequate dining space for residents on the secured unit, affecting 17 residents. During meals, staff had to move residents to accommodate others, resulting in some eating off bedside tables and limited interaction. Observations showed cramped conditions with minimal space between wheelchairs, highlighting the inadequacy of the dining area.
Inadequate Dining Space for Residents
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide adequate dining space for residents on the secured unit, affecting 17 residents. During a lunch observation, 15 residents were seated in the dining room, which had four square tables, one against a wall, leaving no open seats. A State tested Nursing Assistant (STNA) had to move a resident to a sitting area to accommodate another resident, resulting in the first resident eating off a bedside table without interaction until the rest of their meal arrived. This indicates insufficient space for all residents to dine together comfortably. Further observations during dinner revealed that residents seated back-to-back had minimal space between their wheelchairs. An STNA had to move a resident to make room for another, highlighting the cramped conditions. The facility census confirmed 17 residents on the secured unit, underscoring the inadequacy of the dining area to accommodate all residents simultaneously, leading to disruptions in meal service and resident interaction.
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