Failure to Maintain Resident Room Free from Accident Hazards
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency was identified when a resident's room was found to have accident hazards and did not provide a safe, comfortable, and homelike environment. The resident, who was cognitively intact and primarily independent with diagnoses including hypertension and muscle weakness, reported that the television in the room was loose, tilting to the right, and appeared as though it might fall. Additionally, the blinds in the room were broken, bent, and not properly attached, creating the appearance that they could fall at any time. These issues were confirmed during an observation of the room, where the TV was seen to be loosely affixed and the blinds were in disrepair. Interviews with facility staff, including the Maintenance Supervisor, confirmed that the TV had a loose screw and the blinds were damaged, both of which had not yet been addressed at the time of the initial observation. The facility's policies and procedures require that the maintenance department keep the building and equipment safe and operable at all times, and that resident rooms provide a safe, clean, comfortable, and homelike environment. The failure to maintain the resident's room in good repair and free from hazards constituted a deficiency.