Failure to Provide Scheduled Showers for Dependent Resident
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency was identified when a resident, who was dependent on staff for activities of daily living due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure, and deconditioning, did not receive scheduled showers as required by her care plan. The resident was assessed as having intact cognition and required staff assistance for showering and transfers. Her care plan specified showers twice weekly, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, but documentation and interviews revealed that she did not receive her scheduled Saturday showers for at least three consecutive weeks. The master shower schedule and point of care documentation confirmed the absence of Saturday showers, and the resident reported that staff did not offer alternative hygiene measures, such as a bed bath or hair washing, when a shower was missed. Observations showed the resident with uncombed, greasy hair, and she expressed feeling unclean and uncomfortable due to missed showers. Staff interviews corroborated the resident's account, with one nurse aide confirming the resident did not refuse care and that scheduled showers were not always provided. The Administrator in Training and the Administrator both acknowledged the lack of documentation and confirmed that showers were not given as scheduled. The deficiency was based on the facility's failure to provide care and assistance with bathing for a resident who was unable to perform this activity independently.