Failure to Provide Timely Assistance with Personal Hygiene (Shaving)
Penalty
Summary
Staff failed to provide adequate assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) for a resident who required maximal help with personal hygiene, including shaving. The resident had a history of muscle weakness, lower extremity impairment, and was dependent on staff for dressing, footwear, transfers, and hygiene tasks. The care plan directed staff to shave the resident on bath days and as needed, but observations over several days showed the resident had prominent, unshaven facial hair and reported a preference to be clean shaven. The resident stated he could not shave himself and could not recall the last time he was shaved. Interviews with staff revealed that shaving was typically performed on scheduled shower days or upon resident request, and that staff were busy, sometimes leaving shaving to licensed nurses if not completed by CNAs. The administrative nurse expected staff to shave residents daily and as needed, regardless of cognitive status. Despite these expectations and the resident's dependence on staff, the resident was observed multiple times with unshaven facial hair until it was finally removed after several days, indicating a failure to provide consistent and timely ADL care as required by the care plan and facility policy.