Failure to Ensure Nursing Staff Competency and Skills Documentation
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that nursing staff possessed the necessary competencies to provide appropriate care for residents, as evidenced by the review of employee files and interviews. Specifically, the Director of Nursing (DON) was unable to provide documentation of nursing competencies for a contracted/agency Registered Nurse, despite requests to the staffing agency. The DON confirmed that the agency could not supply the required competency or skill test records for this nurse and acknowledged concerns regarding staff education. Additionally, a review of a confidential complaint and subsequent interviews revealed that nurses assigned to care for a resident with a tracheostomy did not have documented competencies in tracheostomy care. The facility administrator confirmed that the two staff members who worked with the resident on the date in question lacked tracheostomy care competencies. This lack of documented skills and competencies among nursing staff was identified during the survey and discussed with facility leadership.