Failure to Adequately Monitor Antipsychotic Medication with Timely AIMS Assessments
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to adequately monitor the use of an antipsychotic medication for a resident diagnosed with bipolar disorder, among other conditions. The resident was prescribed Aripiprazole to be taken six times weekly, and the care plan required quarterly AIMS (Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale) assessments to monitor for side effects. Despite pharmacy recommendations in August and September for an AIMS assessment, there was a significant delay, and the assessment was not completed until January of the following year. The care plan was updated to include quarterly AIMS assessments, but this intervention was not followed as required during the period in question. Interviews with facility staff revealed inconsistencies in the understanding and monitoring of AIMS assessments. The Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON) stated that the facility standard was to perform AIMS assessments every six months, despite the care plan specifying quarterly assessments. The Social Services Worker, responsible for care plan creation and monitoring, was unsure how AIMS assessment completion was being tracked. There was no written facility policy regarding the frequency of AIMS assessments for residents on antipsychotic medications.