Failure to Provide Privacy During G-Tube Care
Penalty
Summary
Staff failed to provide privacy for a resident with a gastrostomy tube during a care procedure. During an observation, the Director of Staff Development (DSD) entered the resident's room and pulled up the resident's gown to check the G-tube site without closing the privacy curtain. This action exposed the resident's abdominal area and lower extremities to both the roommate and the hallway. The resident was noted to have severely impaired cognition and was dependent on staff for all activities of daily living, including personal hygiene and dressing. Interviews with the DSD and the Director of Nursing (DON) confirmed that the privacy curtain should have been closed during care and activities of daily living to maintain the resident's dignity and privacy. The facility's policy on dignity and quality of life also required staff to promote and protect resident privacy during personal care and treatment procedures. The failure to close the privacy curtain resulted in unnecessary exposure of the resident's body during a medical check.