Failure to Provide Privacy During Personal Care
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency was identified when a certified nursing assistant (CNA) was observed changing the briefs of a resident without providing adequate privacy, as both the privacy curtain and the door to the resident's room were left open during the procedure. The resident involved had a history of falling, adult failure to thrive, was bed-confined, and was severely cognitively impaired, requiring total assistance for personal and toilet hygiene. The lack of privacy was directly observed by surveyors in the hallway outside the resident's room. Interviews with the CNA involved, another CNA, and the Director of Nursing (DON) confirmed that facility policy and standard practice require staff to provide full privacy by closing both the curtain and the door when performing personal care tasks. The facility's policy on resident rights and quality of life also specifies the importance of promoting and maintaining resident privacy, dignity, and respect during care. The failure to provide privacy during the brief change was contrary to these established policies and procedures.