Insufficient Nursing Staff Leading to Delayed Resident Care
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide sufficient nursing staff to meet the needs of all residents, as required by their own facility assessment and regulatory standards. Observations and record reviews revealed that, on at least ten occasions between mid-February and mid-April, the number of Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) hours scheduled fell significantly below the minimum hours determined necessary for the census on those days. For example, on several days when the census ranged from 83 to 88 residents, the facility provided between 120 and 160 CNA hours, despite the facility assessment indicating a need for over 200 hours. The staffing plan outlined specific requirements for RNs, LPNs, and CNAs per shift, but these were not consistently met according to the reviewed schedules. During resident interviews, multiple individuals reported that insufficient staffing led to long wait times for care and delayed responses to call bells, particularly on weekends when only one or two aides were present per unit. The staffing coordinator and DON both confirmed that staffing levels were determined by a corporate-created program based on census, but acknowledged that the facility often struggled to meet these requirements, especially due to a limited pool of available staff in their remote location. No specific resident medical histories or acute conditions were detailed in the report, but the deficiency was evidenced by both resident complaints and documented staffing shortfalls.