Failure to Provide Scheduled Showers and Honor Resident Preferences
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a resident was not provided with routine showers as scheduled, despite being cognitively intact and having a care plan that required assistance with bathing and shower transfers. The resident was scheduled to receive showers twice weekly, but documentation and interviews confirmed that showers were not provided on multiple scheduled dates. Instead, the resident resorted to using disposable wipes for personal hygiene, as staff did not offer showers outside of the assigned days and there was no documentation of refusal by the resident. Further investigation revealed that the resident preferred a female CNA to assist with showers and would decline when a male CNA offered assistance. This preference was reported to the licensed nurse several times, but the care plan was not updated to reflect the resident's needs or preferences. The facility's own policies and job descriptions emphasized the importance of honoring resident choices and promoting dignity, but these were not followed in this case, resulting in the resident's care needs not being met and causing distress.