Failure to Maintain Safe Hot Water Temperatures in Resident Rooms
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that resident environments were free from accident hazards by not maintaining hot water temperatures at or below 120 degrees Fahrenheit in 15 out of 28 resident rooms. Observations revealed that water temperatures in these rooms ranged from 122.0 to 140.0 degrees Fahrenheit, exceeding the facility's policy and the recommended safety threshold to prevent scalding. The deficiency was identified during a survey when a maintenance supervisor was observed measuring water temperatures incorrectly, using the middle of the thermometer instead of the tip, which led to inaccurate documentation of water temperatures in the facility's logs. The logs for several months did not reflect any temperatures above 120 degrees Fahrenheit, despite actual measurements showing otherwise. Interviews with the maintenance supervisor, DON, and administrator confirmed that the method used for measuring water temperatures was incorrect and that the temperatures in the affected rooms were indeed above the safe limit. However, there were no reported incidents, injuries, or complaints from residents or staff regarding excessively hot water. The deficiency was based on the failure to accurately monitor and control water temperatures as required by facility policy, resulting in a hazardous environment for residents.