Failure to Provide Podiatry Care for Diabetic Resident
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a resident with type 2 diabetes mellitus did not receive proper foot care and podiatry services as required by her care plan and physician orders. Upon observation, the resident was found with long and jagged toenails, and she reported that facility staff did not trim her toenails due to her diabetes diagnosis. Instead, her family member was providing this care, despite being uncomfortable with the task. The resident stated she had not been offered podiatry care since her admission. Multiple staff interviews confirmed that the process for referring residents to podiatry services was not followed, and the resident was not included on the podiatry list because CNAs and licensed nurses did not make the necessary referral to social services. Record review showed that the resident's care plan included diabetic foot checks and monitoring for signs of infection, and her admission orders specified podiatry evaluation and treatment as needed. However, there was no documentation that podiatry care had been provided since her admission. The facility's policy required residents with medical conditions associated with foot complications, such as diabetes, to be referred to qualified professionals for foot care. The failure to follow these procedures resulted in the resident not receiving appropriate podiatry care.