Failure to Offer and Administer Pneumococcal Vaccines
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that residents were offered and received pneumococcal vaccines as required by their policy. Specifically, four out of seven sampled residents were either not offered the vaccine or, after consenting, did not receive it. The facility's policy states that each resident should be offered the pneumococcal immunization unless medically contraindicated or previously immunized, and that consents or declinations should be documented in the medical record. However, two residents admitted with diagnoses of heart failure and diabetes were eligible but were not offered the vaccine, as confirmed by the RN Infection Preventionist. Additionally, two other residents, one with kidney failure and another with heart failure, were offered and consented to receive the pneumococcal vaccine, but there was no documentation that the vaccine was administered. The lack of documentation and follow-through on vaccine administration for these residents was confirmed during staff interviews and record reviews, with no further information provided by facility staff.