Failure to Provide Scheduled Showers and Personal Hygiene Assistance
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide necessary assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs), specifically grooming and personal hygiene, for two residents who required help with these tasks. Both residents had care plans indicating the need for assistance with bathing and maintaining a consistent daily routine, yet records and interviews revealed missed scheduled showers. Documentation showed gaps in shower records for both residents, with several dates lacking evidence that showers were provided as scheduled. One resident, an older female with diagnoses including congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and muscle weakness, required supervision or touching assistance for personal hygiene and showering. She reported not receiving a shower since her last scheduled day and expressed feeling dirty as a result. Another resident, also an older female with diabetes, stroke, and irritable bowel syndrome, required substantial to maximal assistance with showering and upper body dressing. She reported missing three showers in the past two weeks and stated that she received bed baths instead when the shower aide was reassigned. Interviews with staff revealed that when the designated shower aide was reassigned to floor duties, the responsibility for providing showers shifted to the aides on each hall. However, this transition was not consistently managed, leading to missed showers and incomplete documentation. The DON and Administrator confirmed that showers were expected to be provided according to schedule and that the charge nurse was responsible for ensuring this occurred. The facility's policy emphasized the importance of bathing for cleanliness, comfort, and skin observation, but the lack of adherence to scheduled showers resulted in the deficiency.