Failure to Provide Timely Access to Personal Property
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when the facility failed to ensure that a resident had timely access to her personal property, including clothing and an electric wheelchair, after admission. The resident, who had diagnoses including ALS, chronic respiratory failure, COPD, pulmonary hypertension, malnutrition, major depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder, was cognitively intact and dependent on staff for all activities of daily living. Upon admission, the resident had no family or friends to assist with the transfer of her belongings from her previous facility. Documentation from a care conference indicated the resident expressed a need for her personal items, and interviews confirmed she had repeatedly requested them. Despite these requests, the resident remained without her personal items for an extended period, as staff had not arranged for their retrieval. Observations showed the resident lying in bed in a hospital gown with no personal clothing or wheelchair present in her room. Staff interviews revealed that while arrangements were discussed, the items were not picked up due to time constraints and lack of clear responsibility among staff. The facility did not have a specific timeframe for obtaining personal property for residents without family support, resulting in the resident's prolonged lack of access to her belongings.