Failure to Notify POA of Resident's MRI Appointment
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to notify a resident's Power of Attorney (POA) about a scheduled MRI appointment, despite the resident having diagnoses including dementia, hypertension, and depression, and being assessed as lacking capacity to make decisions. The resident was dependent on staff for most activities of daily living and had moderately impaired cognitive function, as documented in the Minimum Data Set. The physician had ordered an MRI to evaluate confusion, and the appointment was scheduled accordingly. Interviews revealed that the POA was not informed of the MRI appointment, even though she routinely accompanied the resident to medical appointments due to the resident's inability to advocate for herself. Both the LVN who arranged the appointment and the Director of Nursing acknowledged that the POA should have been notified, in accordance with the facility's policy on resident rights, which includes involving representatives in care decisions and ensuring residents and their representatives are fully informed and able to participate in treatment decisions.