Lack of Private Phone Access for Resident
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide reasonable access to private phone use for a resident who did not have a personal phone. The resident, who resided on the third floor and used a wheelchair, was observed making a phone call at the nursing station desk, surrounded by multiple staff members and in a public area between two hallways and in front of an elevator. The resident reported that he had requested a more private location for his phone call, specifically asking staff to bring the phone to his room, but was told this was not possible. As a result, he had to conduct his personal conversation in a public setting, which he stated did not provide sufficient privacy, especially when speaking with his wife. Interviews with staff, including a TMA, LPN, and the third-floor nurse manager, confirmed that the only phone available for residents without personal phones was the corded phone at the nursing station, and that there was no cordless phone or private area available for resident use. The administrator stated that a phone could be installed in a resident's room only if the resident could pay for it; otherwise, residents were limited to using the nursing station phone. The facility's own policy indicated that telephones should be available in areas that offer privacy and accommodate wheelchair-bound residents, which was not followed in this instance.