Failure to Provide Vaccine Education Prior to Pneumococcal Immunization
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide education regarding the benefits and potential side effects of the pneumococcal vaccine to one resident prior to administration. Specifically, the clinical record for the resident did not contain documented evidence that education was provided before the resident received the PCV20 (Prevnar 20) vaccine. During interviews, the Infection Preventionist (IP) confirmed that education should be given to residents before vaccination, including information on the indication for the vaccine, possible side effects such as inflammation, pain, fever, and diarrhea, and that this education should be documented in the resident's progress notes. However, upon review, the IP acknowledged that there was no documentation or evidence that this education was provided to the resident in question. The lack of documented education meant the resident was not fully informed prior to receiving the vaccine, which is a violation of the resident's right to make an informed choice about their care. The facility's policy on resident rights, as well as federal and state laws, require that residents be informed and participate in their care planning and treatment. The IP also stated that not providing education could result in residents being unaware of what symptoms or side effects to report to staff.