Failure to Honor Resident's Right to Unrestricted Visitation
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to honor a resident's right to receive visitors of her choosing at the time of her choosing, as required by both federal regulations and the facility's own visitation policy. The policy states that residents are permitted 24-hour access to visitors with the resident's consent, but posted signs throughout the facility indicated restricted visitation hours for patients in semi-private rooms, limiting in-room visits to between 8:00 AM and 7:00 PM, with public area visitation allowed until 9:00 PM. Interviews with the resident and her family members revealed that they were required to leave the resident's room by 7:00 PM and could only stay in common areas until 9:00 PM, unless special approval was obtained from a physician or hospice. The resident, who was cognitively intact with a BIMS score of 13, expressed dissatisfaction with these restrictions, stating that her parents and friends had been asked to leave and that the limited hours negatively impacted her quality of life. Staff interviews confirmed enforcement of these visitation hours, with the Social Service Director and DON explaining that exceptions required administrative approval and that the restrictions were in place to protect the rights of other residents, particularly in shared rooms. The DON noted that the resident's family was frequently present, sometimes from early morning until late at night, and that the roommate had expressed concerns about privacy and receiving adequate care during these times. Despite the facility's policy allowing for 24-hour visitation, the posted and enforced restrictions resulted in the resident and her family being unable to visit freely according to their wishes.