Failure to Provide Ongoing Nail Care for Resident
Penalty
Summary
A resident with diagnoses including dementia, hypertension, and acute kidney failure was observed to have long fingernails on her right hand during a complaint investigation. The resident, who was alert and oriented at the time of observation, expressed a desire to have her fingernails cut. Measurements taken by the treatment nurse showed fingernail lengths ranging from 1.6 cm to 1.9 cm. The treatment nurse acknowledged that it was the responsibility of both the treatment nurse and the certified nurse assistant to provide nail care, and that the resident's long fingernails should have been addressed during routine care. A review of the resident's medical record indicated she had no decision-making capacity, and the facility's policy required daily cleaning and regular trimming of fingernails by CNAs, treatment nurses, or licensed nurses. The Director of Nursing confirmed that nail care should have been provided during routine care. The facility's policy also stated that proper nail care helps prevent skin problems and injuries. The failure to provide ongoing grooming services, specifically nail care, resulted in the resident having excessively long fingernails.