Failure to Follow Bowel Protocol and Provide Timely Interventions for Constipation
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide treatment and care in accordance with professional standards of practice for three residents experiencing constipation. For one resident with right-sided hemiplegia and bowel incontinence, documentation showed gaps of four days without a bowel movement on two occasions, with no evidence that bowel interventions, GI assessments, or physician notifications were completed as required by the facility's bowel protocol. Another resident with Alzheimer's disease and bowel incontinence went five days without a documented bowel movement, and records did not show that interventions were administered per protocol, nor that a GI assessment or provider notification occurred after failed or refused interventions. A third resident, with mild cognitive impairment and a urinary system malignancy, had only one small bowel movement over four days and did not receive prescribed Polyethylene Glycol or required interventions per the bowel protocol. There was no documentation of GI assessments or provider notifications for this resident either. Staff interviews confirmed that the bowel protocol was not followed and that adequate bowel movements were not documented for these residents during the identified periods.