Failure to Maintain Safe and Clean Resident Environment Due to Ongoing Water Leak
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency was identified when a resident's bathroom was observed to have a missing ceiling tile directly above the toilet, with a wet, stained towel draped across the opening and free-standing water present on the toilet. The resident, who had intact cognition and diagnoses including hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and renal insufficiency, reported that the ceiling tile had been missing and the towel in place for at least a month due to a leak from the room above. Staff interviews confirmed that the condition had persisted for at least a month, with ongoing water leakage resulting in soaked toilet paper and the need to discard it during cleaning. The maintenance director indicated that the leak above had been repaired, but the towel remained to monitor for further leakage. The infection preventionist acknowledged that the presence of wet towels and standing water increased the risk of infection and illness. The regional director of operations stated that such a situation would typically require the resident to be moved and the area repaired before reoccupancy. No policy for environmental services water leakage was provided upon request.