Delayed Treatment for Eye Infection
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when the facility failed to initiate timely treatment for an eye infection in a resident with severe cognitive impairment and a diagnosis of non-Alzheimer's dementia. On one occasion, the resident's family alerted a nurse to symptoms including a swollen, reddened, and draining right eye, with the resident also reporting itchiness and pain. The nurse documented the symptoms and completed a communication form for the provider, but there was no documented response from the nurse practitioner or physician at that time. It was not until several days later, after another family member again raised concerns about the resident's eye, that a registered nurse assessed the resident and contacted the physician, resulting in an order for antibiotic eye drops. The delay in provider notification and initiation of treatment did not align with professional standards of practice, as the resident's symptoms persisted for several days before appropriate medical intervention was started.