Failure to Offer Recommended Pneumococcal Vaccination Series
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that two of five residents reviewed for immunizations were offered and/or provided the recommended pneumococcal vaccination series according to CDC guidelines. Both residents had previously received PPSV23 and PCV13 vaccines, but their records lacked evidence of shared clinical decision-making with their physicians regarding the administration of the PCV20 vaccine at least five years after their last pneumococcal dose. There was also no documentation that these residents were offered or received the PCV20 vaccine as recommended. The Director of Nursing (DON), who is responsible for the infection control program and ensuring residents are assessed for vaccine eligibility upon admission, acknowledged that these residents were eligible for the PCV20 vaccine but had not been educated about the risks and benefits or offered the vaccine. The facility's policy stated that residents would be offered pneumococcal immunizations in accordance with CDC recommendations, but this was not followed for the two residents in question.