Failure to Develop Baseline Care Plan for Surgical Wound and Hemovac Drain
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to develop and implement a baseline care plan within 48 hours of admission for a resident who was admitted following spinal fusion surgery and required orthopedic aftercare. Upon admission, documentation indicated the presence of a surgical dressing on the posterior back and a Hemovac drain with serosanguineous drainage. However, review of the baseline care plan revealed no evidence of care planning related to the surgical wound or the Hemovac drain, including necessary treatments or interventions. A complaint submitted to the state health department indicated that the resident was later found to be not alert, babbling, lethargic, and altered during a post-operative visit, with lab results showing elevated white blood cells. The resident was subsequently sent to the emergency room and admitted to the hospital for further care. During interviews, facility nursing leadership acknowledged the omission of instructions in the baseline care plan regarding the surgical wound and Hemovac drain.