Failure to Maintain Resident Dignity and Privacy During Care and Mealtimes
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to uphold residents' dignity and privacy in several observed instances. One resident with severe cognitive impairment and a history of removing her clothing was found half-naked in bed with her privacy curtain only half drawn, making her visible to others in the room. Staff confirmed that there was no care plan in place to address this behavior, and that the resident should be checked more frequently, especially when family was not present. The facility's policy required staff to treat cognitively impaired residents with dignity and to address the root causes of such behaviors, but this was not followed in this case. Additionally, the Assistant Director of Nursing referred to residents' clothing protectors as "bibs" in front of approximately 15 residents during a mealtime, which was confirmed in an interview. In another instance, a CNA was observed assisting a resident with eating while standing over her, despite facility policy requiring staff to sit while feeding residents to maintain dignity. These actions were observed in the dining room and had the potential to affect the psychosocial well-being of multiple residents present.