Failure to Administer COVID-19 Vaccine to Eligible Residents
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that eligible residents were provided with the COVID-19 vaccine as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Two residents admitted for rehabilitation, both with significant medical histories including conditions such as fractured ribs, anemia, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, acute respiratory failure, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, pneumonia, and hypertension, were identified as overdue for the COVID-19 vaccine according to the Michigan Care Improvement Registry (MICR). Despite documentation on their admission consent checklists indicating consent to receive the COVID-19 vaccine if due, neither resident received the vaccine during their stay. Review of the electronic medical records (EMR) for both residents confirmed that no COVID-19 vaccine had been administered since their initial admissions. The Director of Nursing (DON) stated that the facility maintains vaccines on hand and expects all new admissions who consent to vaccination to receive it within the first week, and no later than 14 days after admission. However, this protocol was not followed for the two residents in question, as evidenced by the lack of vaccine administration documented in their records.