Insufficient Nursing Staff Leads to Delayed Resident Care and Unmet Needs
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide sufficient nursing staff to meet the needs of residents, resulting in prolonged call bell response times and unmet care needs for multiple residents. The facility assessment indicated that a significant number of residents required assistance from one or two staff members, and over fifty residents were dependent on staff for activities of daily living (ADLs). Despite this, several residents experienced delays in receiving assistance, particularly with toileting, changing, and being put to bed. Observations and interviews revealed instances where residents waited from 20 minutes to over an hour for staff response, with some residents reporting that staff would turn off call lights without providing the needed care. Specific examples included a resident waiting over an hour for toileting assistance, another resident's call bell ringing for 40 minutes before staff responded, and a resident not being placed in bed until late at night. Additional reports documented residents being left in soiled conditions and family members intervening to provide care due to staff unavailability. These findings were corroborated by staff interviews and concern forms, confirming that the facility did not ensure adequate staff availability to respond to resident care needs in a timely manner.