Failure to Develop Elopement Risk Care Plan for At-Risk Resident
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency was identified when a resident with diagnoses including diabetes, anemia, and hyperlipidemia, and a moderate cognitive impairment as indicated by a BIMS score of 12 out of 15, was admitted to the facility. The resident was assessed using the Elopement Risk Evaluation form and determined to be at risk for elopement. Despite this assessment, a review of the resident's care plans revealed that no elopement risk care plan was developed for this individual. During interviews, the DON confirmed that facility policy requires a care plan to be updated within 14 days of a status change, such as identification of elopement risk. However, the care plan for this resident was not updated to address the elopement risk prior to the resident's discharge, and the absence of an elopement risk care plan was acknowledged by facility leadership. The facility's policy on care plan revisions upon status change was reviewed and confirmed the requirement for timely updates.