Failure to Maintain Resident Hygiene and Grooming
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency was identified when a resident, admitted with dementia and Alzheimer's disease and assessed as severely cognitively impaired, was observed to have long fingernails with a black substance under the left fingernails. The resident's Minimum Data Set indicated dependence on staff for toileting hygiene and required setup assistance with eating, but no impairment in upper extremity range of motion. During an observation with the DON, it was noted that the resident's fingernails needed cleaning, as the black substance could be a source of infection. Review of the facility's policy on Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) stated that residents unable to carry out ADLs should receive necessary services to maintain good grooming and personal hygiene. The facility failed to provide adequate hygiene for this resident, as evidenced by the unclean fingernails, which was inconsistent with the facility's own policy and procedures for maintaining residents' ADLs.