Failure to Offer and Document Pneumococcal Immunization per CDC Guidelines
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that pneumococcal immunizations were offered and administered in accordance with current CDC recommendations. Record review and staff interviews revealed that one resident, who was admitted with multiple diagnoses including breast cancer, did not have documentation indicating she was offered or received the pneumococcal immunization upon admission. The resident's immunization history was unknown, and although staff stated that immunizations are offered upon admission, there was no evidence in the resident's record to support that the pneumococcal vaccine was offered at that time. Staff reported that the resident was eventually offered the pneumococcal immunization several months after admission, but only after attempts to obtain her immunization history from her primary physician were unsuccessful. The lack of documentation and delay in offering the vaccine did not align with CDC guidelines, which require routine vaccination for adults of the resident's age group, especially when previous vaccination history is unknown.