Failure to Ensure Call Lights Were Within Reach for Two Residents
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that two residents were able to operate their call lights by not placing them within reach, as required by their care plans and facility policy. One resident, a male with multiple diagnoses including COPD, heart failure, hemiplegia, diabetes, hypertension, depression, end-stage renal disease on dialysis, and a history of falls, reported that his call light cord was broken and unusable while he was in bed. This condition had persisted for a week, and staff were aware of the issue. Observation confirmed the call light cord was disconnected and hanging from the bed. The resident's care plan specified that the call light should be within reach. Another male resident with diagnoses including diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, congestive heart failure, chronic kidney disease, bilateral below-knee amputations, adult failure to thrive, osteoarthritis, and shoulder impingement was observed in bed with the call light cord not within reach. A certified nursing assistant confirmed that the call light should be accessible to the resident. This resident's care plan also required the call light to be within reach. The facility's policy stated that call lights must be placed within resident reach at all times.