Failure to Address Blindness in Resident Care Plan
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to develop a comprehensive care plan that addressed the visual impairment of a resident who was blind. Despite the facility's policy requiring individualized, person-centered care plans based on thorough assessments, the resident's care plan did not include any focus area or interventions related to blindness or visual impairment. Observations showed the resident bumping into walls and requiring assistance from a roommate to exit the room. Interviews with staff, including the DON, LPN, and RN/MDS Coordinators, confirmed the resident was blind and that this status should have been reflected in the care plan. However, the care plan lacked any mention of the resident's vision status, and the most recent MDS inaccurately documented the resident's vision as adequate. The resident had been admitted to the facility with diagnoses including Parkinson's Disease and Schizophrenia and was cognitively intact according to the latest assessment. Staff interviews revealed that some were aware of the resident's blindness and had witnessed incidents where the resident bumped into objects, while others were unaware of the resident's visual impairment. The lack of documentation and care planning for the resident's blindness resulted in the deficiency cited by surveyors.