Unqualified Staff Fed Resident Without State-Approved Training
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency was identified when a resident with Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and abnormal weight loss, who was dependent on staff for all activities of daily living including eating, was fed by a Unit Assistant who had not completed a State-approved feeding assistant training course. The resident required a mechanically altered diet with aspiration precautions, and the care plan specified that staff should feed and assist the resident to complete meals. During observation, the Unit Assistant was seen feeding the resident puree food, and both the Unit Assistant and facility leadership confirmed that the assistant had only received in-house training and was unaware of the requirement for State-approved training. Interviews with the Director of Human Resources and the Director of Nursing revealed that Unit Assistants routinely feed residents after receiving facility-based training, but none had completed the required State-approved eight-hour course. Documentation supporting completion of State-approved training for feeding assistants was not available, and facility leadership was not aware of the regulatory requirement for such training. This resulted in the resident being fed by unqualified staff, contrary to regulatory requirements.