Failure to Provide Timely Pain Management
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide timely and appropriate pain management for two residents who required pain medication. One resident with diabetes mellitus, who was cognitively intact, requested Tylenol for pain at 3:00 p.m. but did not receive it until over five hours later, after intervention by a nurse consultant. The responsible LPN admitted to not having reached the resident's medication pass and was observed preparing medication for another resident instead. The nurse consultant confirmed that pain medication should be administered shortly after it is requested. Another resident, also cognitively intact and diagnosed with cellulitis and other chronic conditions, reported experiencing significant delays in receiving prescribed hydrocodone for pain. The resident described waiting between 30 minutes to an hour for pain medication after making requests, and on one occasion, had to ask multiple staff members for assistance before the LPN addressed her pain. The LPN acknowledged being informed of the request by CNAs but was observed administering medications to other residents before attending to the resident's pain needs.