Failure to Ensure Foley Catheter Privacy Bag Use for Resident Dignity
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a male resident with a history of benign prostatic hyperplasia, bilateral hydronephrosis, and urinary retention was observed with an indwelling Foley catheter drainage bag that was not covered by a privacy bag. The urine in the catheter bag was visible to staff and visitors passing by the resident's room on two separate occasions. The resident's care plan included interventions for catheter care but did not specify the use of privacy bags, and the physician's orders addressed catheter maintenance but not privacy coverings. Interviews with staff revealed confusion regarding responsibility for placing privacy bags, with a CNA stating that only nurses could place them, while an LVN clarified that all clinical staff were permitted to do so. Both staff members and the DON acknowledged that privacy bags are intended to protect resident dignity by concealing urine output. The facility's dignity policy also specified that urinary catheter bags should not be left uncovered. There was no documentation of recent in-service training on this topic, and requested records of such training were not provided by the time of the exit conference.