Failure to Assess Resident for Safe Smoking Practices
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to assess a resident for safe smoking practices as required by its Smoking Campus policy, which mandates an interdisciplinary evaluation of residents who wish to smoke upon admission, quarterly, with significant changes, or as needed. One resident, who was admitted and later readmitted with diagnoses including a cutaneous abscess of the abdominal wall and bipolar disorder, was found to be cognitively intact according to her most recent MDS assessment. Despite the resident stating she was an independent smoker, there was no documentation of a smoking assessment in her medical record, nor was her smoking status included in her care plan. The Chief Nursing Officer confirmed that they were unaware the resident smoked and acknowledged that the required assessment had not been completed.