Failure to Develop Hospice Care Plan for Resident
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to develop and implement a hospice care plan for a resident who had been admitted to hospice care, as evidenced by observation, interviews, and record review. The resident, who had a diagnosis of dementia, was admitted to the facility and subsequently had a physician's order for hospice admission. Despite this order, there was no documented evidence that a hospice care plan was created or implemented for the resident. This omission was confirmed through review of the clinical record and interviews with licensed nursing staff, who acknowledged the absence of a hospice care plan and recognized its importance for consistent and coordinated care. Further, the Director of Nursing confirmed that both the hospice agency and the facility are responsible for developing care plans to ensure staff provide consistent care, but acknowledged that this was not done for the resident in question. Facility policies reviewed also required the development and updating of comprehensive, person-centered care plans based on assessed needs, and specifically called for collaboration between the hospice and facility on care planning when a resident elects hospice care. The lack of a hospice care plan meant that staff interventions were not being implemented consistently for the resident.