Failure to Provide Timely Bowel Care and Physician Notification
Penalty
Summary
A resident with diagnoses including dementia, generalized muscle weakness, thoracic disc degeneration, aphasia, and osteoporosis was admitted to the facility and had a physician order for Docusate Sodium 100 mg twice daily for constipation. The resident was severely cognitively impaired, required substantial to maximum assistance with toileting, and was continent of bowel according to the most recent MDS assessment. Medical record review revealed that the resident did not have a recorded bowel movement for six consecutive days. During this period, there was no documentation of nursing interventions or physician notification regarding the absence of bowel movements. Additionally, there was no bowel protocol in place for the resident. The DON confirmed that no interventions were initiated and acknowledged that six days without a bowel movement was excessive.