Failure to Maintain Resident Privacy During Perineal Care
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain privacy and dignity for a resident during the provision of perineal care. During an observation, a CNA left the resident exposed while exiting the room to get assistance, and the resident was seen pulling at her shirt in an attempt to cover her private area. The CNA returned with another CNA, but later left the room again to retrieve additional towels, once again leaving the resident exposed. Both CNAs and the Director of Nursing confirmed that the resident was left exposed and acknowledged this as a dignity issue. The resident involved had been admitted with a diagnosis of unspecified dementia and was noted to have severely impaired cognition according to her most recent MDS assessment. The facility's policy on resident rights, which includes the right to privacy and dignity, was not followed during this incident. The observations and interviews confirmed that the resident was left exposed on two occasions during care, resulting in embarrassment and a lack of privacy.