Failure to Maintain Resident Privacy During Personal Care
Penalty
Summary
Staff failed to provide care in a manner that maintained or enhanced a resident's dignity by not ensuring privacy during personal care. Specifically, an Activities Assistant was observed assisting a resident with her briefs while the door to the room was open and no privacy curtain was pulled. This action was in direct contradiction to the facility's policy, which requires staff to provide full visual privacy during routine care and treatment by closing doors and using privacy curtains. The resident involved was dependent on staff for toileting assistance, as documented in her Annual Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessment. Her care plan also indicated the need for skilled assistance with toileting and transfers to reduce fall risk. During interviews, both the Activities Assistant and the Director of Health Services acknowledged that the expectation was to close doors during care, but this was not always maintained. The failure to provide privacy during care had the potential to diminish the resident's quality of life.