Failure to Provide Dignified Dining Experience During Feeding Assistance
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency was identified when a certified nursing assistant (CNA) failed to provide a dignified dining experience for a resident with severe cognitive impairment and total dependence on staff for eating. The resident, who had diagnoses including muscle weakness, contractures, and a history of transient ischemic attack, required complete assistance with eating as documented in their care plan. During an observation in the dining room, the CNA was seen standing over the resident while feeding them and confirmed in an interview that she always stands while providing feeding assistance to residents. The facility's policy on routine resident care states that staff should provide care necessary for quality of life, promoting dignity and independence, including during eating and hydration. The CNA's practice of standing while feeding did not align with this policy and resulted in a failure to provide a dignified dining experience for the resident. This deficiency was identified during a review of records, observation, staff interview, and policy review.