Failure to Maintain Safe Hot Water Temperatures in Resident Care Area
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide hot water at comfortable temperatures for 22 residents residing on D-Hall. Certified Nurse Assistants (CNAs) and residents reported that there had been no hot or even warm water in any of the rooms on D-Hall for about a month. CNAs had to obtain hot water from the nurses station to clean residents in the mornings, and residents described the water from their bathroom sinks as cold and uncomfortable. Maintenance staff confirmed the issue, noting that water temperatures in resident rooms reached only 76 degrees Fahrenheit after several minutes, which is below the facility's policy for safe water temperatures. Maintenance logs showed a pattern of low water temperatures in D-Hall rooms over several weeks, with readings as low as 49 to 76 degrees Fahrenheit. The Maintenance Director acknowledged being informed of the problem by nursing staff one to two weeks prior and stated that the issue began after new water pipes were installed about a month ago. Despite checking equipment and notifying the Corporate Maintenance Director, no outside assistance had been called to address the ongoing lack of hot water. Facility policy requires maintaining appropriate water temperatures in resident care areas, but this standard was not met for the affected residents on D-Hall.