Failure to Ensure Pneumococcal Vaccination Assessment and Administration
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that residents received, or had the opportunity to receive, the pneumococcal vaccine series as recommended. For one resident, documentation showed that consent for all immunizations, including pneumococcal, was provided by the resident's representative, and the resident had previously received the pneumococcal 23 vaccine. However, there was no evidence that the facility assessed or administered the additional pneumococcal vaccines (pneumococcal 20 or 21) as recommended by the CDC for individuals who have only received the pneumococcal 23 vaccine and for whom more than one year has passed since administration. For another resident, there was no documentation of vaccination history or consent in the electronic medical record, and the resident reported not being asked about vaccinations upon admission. The facility's policy stated that CDC recommendations for pneumococcal immunization would be followed, but staff interviews revealed a lack of knowledge regarding current vaccine recommendations and uncertainty about why vaccinations were missed. These findings indicate that the facility did not consistently follow its own policy or CDC guidelines regarding pneumococcal vaccination assessment and administration.