Failure to Provide Privacy During Incontinent Care
Penalty
Summary
Staff failed to provide privacy for a female resident during incontinent care, as observed when two staff members did not close the blinds or the door to the resident's room. During this time, an unidentified person walked by the resident's bedroom window twice, potentially exposing the resident. The resident, who was cognitively intact and required significant assistance with most activities of daily living, expressed that she expected staff to close the blinds and door during care and did not want to be seen naked by people passing by, especially men who frequently took out trash and laundry near her window. Interviews with the staff involved revealed that one staff member was trained to leave the blinds open during the day, even during personal care, and could not identify any negative outcomes from not providing privacy. Another staff member stated she had not been trained on how to perform incontinent care and also could not identify negative outcomes. The facility's policies on resident rights and perineal care both require providing privacy and modesty by closing doors and/or curtains during care. The Director of Nursing acknowledged that not providing privacy could lead to embarrassment and a lack of dignity for the resident.