Failure to Provide Scheduled Showers or Bed Baths to Dependent Residents
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide scheduled showers or complete bed baths to residents who were dependent on staff for assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs). Multiple residents, all of whom were cognitively intact and required varying levels of staff assistance for bathing, reported not receiving their scheduled showers or bed baths. Documentation in the Point of Care charting system and written shower sheets confirmed that these residents did not receive or refuse their scheduled hygiene care on specific dates. For example, one resident with diabetes mellitus had not received or refused showers on two scheduled days and was noted to have a strong, pungent odor. Another resident with epilepsy, who preferred morning showers due to seizure risk, did not receive or refuse showers on three scheduled days. A third resident with end stage renal disease preferred bed baths but did not receive or refuse them on two scheduled days and was observed with oily hair. Interviews with residents revealed that they were aware of their scheduled hygiene routines but reported missed care, sometimes being told by staff that they would be attended to if time allowed. A Certified Nurse Aide confirmed the facility's process for offering and documenting showers, bed baths, and refusals. The facility's policy required staff to assist residents with bathing according to schedule or resident request, but the documented lapses indicate that this policy was not consistently followed for several residents with significant medical needs.