Failure to Follow Physician Orders for Wound Care and Compression Pump Use
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to follow physician orders for wound care and use of compression pumps for a resident with multiple diagnoses, including diabetes mellitus, chronic ulcer, and chronic osteomyelitis. The resident required extensive assistance for mobility and had an order for daily dressing changes to the left forearm, specifically to keep steri-strips in place and cover the wound with an island dressing until healed. Observation revealed the dressing on the resident's left forearm was dated seven days prior, despite the order for daily changes, and this was confirmed by the LPN performing the wound care. Additionally, there was a physician order for bilateral compression pumps to be applied twice daily and every evening shift, but observation and interviews confirmed that no compression pumps were present or in use in the resident's room. Facility policy required wound treatments to be completed in accordance with physician orders, including frequency of dressing changes.