Failure to Provide Required RN Coverage
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide the required 8 hours of Registered Nurse (RN) coverage on 20 days over a six-month period, affecting all 37 residents. Payroll Based Journal (PBJ) records and staffing schedules revealed specific dates in December, January, February, March, April, and May when no RN was present in the facility. The Director of Nursing (DON), who is an RN, typically worked Monday through Friday and provided RN coverage on those days, but was absent on several occasions, resulting in no RN coverage. On days when the DON was not present, only Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) were available, as the facility was unable to secure RN coverage due to staffing shortages and last-minute call-offs. The administrator acknowledged that reductions in nurse staffing contributed to these RN shortages.