Failure to Ensure Timely Call Light Response and Resident Dignity
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to honor residents' rights to a dignified existence and timely assistance, as evidenced by prolonged call light response times for two residents. One resident, who was cognitively intact and had diagnoses including aftercare following joint replacement surgery and hypertensive heart disease, reported that call light response times varied from a few minutes to as long as 45 minutes, with waits usually exceeding 15 minutes. She expressed discomfort and distress due to the delays, particularly when needing immediate assistance to use the bathroom. The facility's policy required call lights to be answered as quickly as possible, but this standard was not met. Another resident, alert and oriented with a diagnosis of infection related to an internal prosthetic, reported waiting over two hours for assistance after initially requesting help, and an additional 45 minutes after a second request. This resident described feeling helpless due to the repeated and prolonged waits. A Certified Resident Care Associate confirmed that staffing levels were inadequate, often leaving her responsible for 37 patients and unable to provide routine care or respond to call lights promptly. She acknowledged that residents sometimes waited 30 minutes or more for assistance, especially when she required help from a nurse for certain residents, leaving no one available to respond to other needs.