Failure to Accommodate Resident's Choice of Mobility Device
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to honor and facilitate a resident's right to self-determination and choice by not allowing the use of the resident's preferred electric wheelchair. The resident, who had diagnoses including abnormal posture, spinal instabilities, and a sacral pressure ulcer, was cognitively intact and dependent on staff for transfers and toileting. Despite receiving an electric wheelchair from a family member, the resident was prohibited from using it in the facility. Interviews and record reviews revealed that although the resident expressed a desire to use the electric wheelchair, the facility staff, including the Director of Rehabilitation, determined it was not appropriate without conducting a documented assessment or evaluation of the resident using the device. The facility cited concerns about safety, potential for muscle atrophy, and risks associated with the use of an electric wheelchair, but could not provide evidence of a formal assessment or screening to support these decisions. Observations showed the resident was alert, oriented, and able to self-propel in a non-electric wheelchair, with no evidence of dozing or sleeping while in the wheelchair. The resident reported that the electric wheelchair was more comfortable and did not understand why it was deemed inappropriate, as both wheelchairs reclined. Facility policy and the resident's rights documents indicated that residents have the right to use personal possessions and choose mobility devices, but the facility did not accommodate the resident's preference or provide documentation of a thorough evaluation regarding the use of the electric wheelchair.