Failure to Prevent Resident-to-Resident Abuse Due to Inadequate Supervision
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to protect residents' right to be free from abuse by not having effective processes in place to supervise cognitively impaired residents with known aggressive behaviors. Multiple incidents occurred in which residents with histories of aggression, wandering, or agitation were not adequately supervised, resulting in avoidable resident-to-resident altercations. These altercations led to physical injuries, including scratches and skin tears, among several residents. Specific events included residents hitting, scratching, or otherwise physically assaulting each other in various locations such as hallways, activity rooms, and dining areas. In several instances, residents with dementia or behavioral disturbances wandered unsupervised into other residents' rooms, leading to confrontations and injuries. Staff were observed not supervising residents at critical times, and altercations occurred without immediate staff intervention. The facility's monitoring program, which involved staff rounding every 15 minutes, was not sufficient to prevent these incidents. The facility's own records and staff interviews confirmed that incidents of resident-to-resident aggression continued to occur despite the implementation of monitoring programs. The Director of Nursing acknowledged the high frequency of such altercations, and the Administrator verified multiple incidents of physical abuse between residents. The lack of adequate supervision and ineffective monitoring processes directly resulted in physical harm to several residents and led to a determination of Immediate Jeopardy.
Removal Plan
- The Risk Consultant educated the Administrator and Director of Nursing on abuse, neglect, and exploitation as well as the reporting requirements to the Facility Risk Manager, Nursing Home Administrator, or direct supervisor as they relate to ensuring adequate supervision to ensure the safety of cognitively impaired residents on the secured dementia unit to prevent further incidents of resident-to-resident physical altercations and abuse.
- Administrator educated staff on abuse, neglect, and exploitation as well as the reporting requirements to the Facility Risk Manager, Nursing Home Administrator, or direct supervisor. 147 out of 147 staff members were educated.
- Administrator educated staff on abuse, neglect, and exploitation as they relate to ensuring adequate supervision to ensure the safety of cognitively impaired residents on the secured dementia unit to prevent further incidents of resident-to-resident physical altercations and abuse. 147 out of 147 staff members were trained.
- A Quality Assurance and Assessment meeting was held. Psychiatric services attended with the facility interdisciplinary team and reviewed high risk residents with behaviors. Medications and care planned interventions for behaviors were reviewed.
- Psychiatric service visits were increased for high-risk residents.
- Facility leadership along with the interdisciplinary team planned for enhanced oversight of the secured unit to monitor hallways and common areas for negative behaviors that could lead to a resident-to-resident altercation. Enhanced oversight was initiated.
- Two staff were assigned per shift to conduct enhanced oversight.
- The Administrator or designee is responsible for ensuring that enhanced oversight of the secured unit is in place.
- A qualified activity staff member was assigned to activities in the secured unit.
- A Quality Assurance meeting was conducted to review the effectiveness of the implemented interventions.