Resident Privacy Not Maintained During Shower
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a resident's privacy was not maintained during a shower. Observation revealed that the privacy curtain in the shower room was not fully closed, leaving a gap that exposed the resident while being assisted with bathing. The Licensed Vocational Nurse present acknowledged that the curtain should have been closed to ensure the resident's safety and privacy. The Director of Nursing confirmed that staff are expected to pull the privacy curtain when a resident is undressed in the shower room and that this lapse could cause embarrassment and emotional distress for the resident. The resident involved had a history of dementia, depression, and stroke, and was assessed as having severely impaired cognitive functioning. The resident required moderate assistance with showers and was able to make needs known regarding activities of daily living. Facility policy requires staff to promote and protect resident privacy, including bodily privacy during personal care. The failure to fully close the privacy curtain during the resident's shower did not align with these requirements.