LPN Fails to Maintain Resident Dignity and Privacy
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when an LPN failed to maintain a resident's dignity and privacy by loudly discussing the resident's medical condition in a public area. During an observation, the LPN was overheard yelling from inside a resident's room to another staff member at the nurses' station, stating that the resident had a boil the doctor wanted to examine and that the resident needed to be laid down. This conversation took place in the presence of three unidentified residents who were in close proximity and could hear the exchange. Later, the LPN was again overheard discussing the resident's condition with a wound nurse practitioner in a manner that was easily audible to others. The resident involved had a diagnosis of unspecified dementia. Facility policy requires that residents be treated with dignity and respect, and that personal and medical information be kept confidential, but these standards were not upheld in this instance.