Failure to Support Resident Choice in TV Operation
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that two residents were able to operate their televisions, thereby not supporting resident choice and self-determination. One resident, who was admitted for short-term rehabilitation following joint replacement surgery and had multiple comorbidities, reported that her television would not turn on with the remote. After staff manually turned on the TV, it remained on continuously, and the resident was unable to turn it off, change channels, or adjust the volume. Despite informing staff, the issue persisted, resulting in the resident being unable to sleep due to the TV staying on. Observation confirmed that neither of the two remotes in her room worked, and the TV remained on. The Maintenance Director stated the remote needed programming and that staff should have notified him. The DON acknowledged receiving a complaint about the issue and recognized the importance of sleep for the resident. Another resident reported that her TV remote had been missing since the previous day, and although she informed staff, the remote was not located. The resident stated she enjoyed watching TV to avoid boredom and keep her mind occupied. The Maintenance Director later identified that the extra remote in the first resident's room belonged to this second resident. Both residents' care plans indicated that watching TV was a preferred leisure activity. The facility's policy on resident rights did not address resident choices, and there was no separate policy regarding resident choices.