Call Light Inaccessibility for Resident
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency was identified when a resident with diagnoses including diabetes, dementia with agitation, insomnia, dizziness, anxiety, lack of coordination, muscle weakness, and orthostatic hypotension was observed multiple times lying in bed without access to her call light. The call light cord was found coiled and hanging on the wall behind the head of her bed, approximately three feet away, and not within her reach. The resident, who had intact cognition and was independent with bed mobility and transfers, confirmed during an interview that she could not reach the call light and needed it to be accessible to call for help. She reported that housekeeping staff had moved the call light during cleaning and did not return it to her bed. Staff interviews revealed that the expectation was for the call light to be placed within the resident's reach, and that all staff, including housekeeping, received periodic in-service training on this requirement. However, the facility did not have a written policy addressing call light accessibility. The failure to ensure the call light was accessible for this resident was observed on several occasions, and staff acknowledged the lapse in practice.