Resident EHR Left Unattended and Visible at Nursing Station
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain the privacy and confidentiality of a resident's electronic health record (EHR) when the Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON) left a computer terminal at the nursing station unattended, with the EHR open and visible from the hallway. During an observation, it was noted that the computer screen, which displayed the resident's weights, was accessible to public view while no nurse was present at the station. The ADON, upon returning, acknowledged that the EHR should not have been left open and visible. Review of the facility's policy confirmed that computer terminals must be shielded from public view and users are required to log off or clear the screen when leaving a workstation unattended. The Director of Nursing (DON) confirmed that this policy was not followed in this instance.