Failure to Provide Scheduled Showers or Baths for Dependent Resident
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency was identified when a resident who required substantial to maximal assistance with activities of daily living, specifically bathing and showering, did not receive scheduled showers or baths as required. The resident, who had diagnoses including intervertebral disc degeneration, muscle weakness, and atrial fibrillation, reported not receiving regular showers and resorted to giving themselves a bed bath. The resident expressed feeling itchy and bad about themselves due to the lack of regular scheduled showers. The resident's care plan and Minimum Data Set (MDS) indicated a need for staff assistance with bathing and showering. A review of the resident's medical records for a three-month period revealed multiple dates where there was no documented evidence that a shower, bath, or bed bath was provided as scheduled. There was also no documentation indicating the resident refused care or that alternative arrangements were made to compensate for missed showers or baths. Staff interviews confirmed that showers were scheduled twice weekly and that refusals or completed showers were to be documented in both paper and electronic records. The Director of Nursing confirmed the absence of documentation for the missed dates and acknowledged that there was no evidence the resident had refused or was unavailable for care on those occasions.