Call Light System Not Accessible to Residents
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that the call light system was accessible for two residents. For one resident with dementia, gait abnormalities, and muscle weakness, the call light button was found on the floor, approximately three feet away from the bed, and the resident was unaware of its location. This resident required substantial to maximal assistance with daily activities and had a care plan intervention to reinforce the need to call for assistance. A certified nurse assistant confirmed the call light was not within reach and acknowledged it should have been accessible to the resident. For another resident with Alzheimer's disease, dementia, muscle weakness, and difficulty walking, the call light button was placed inside a bedside drawer about four feet from the bed. This resident was dependent on staff for most activities of daily living and had a care plan intervention to keep the call light within reach. A certified nurse assistant confirmed the call light was not accessible and stated it should have been within the resident's reach. Both the Director of Staff Development and the Director of Nursing confirmed that call light buttons should be accessible to residents, as outlined in the facility's policy.