Failure to Administer Influenza Vaccine to Consenting Resident
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a resident who was cognitively intact and had expressed a desire to receive the influenza vaccine did not receive it. The resident had a signed, though undated, informed consent form in her medical record indicating her wish to be vaccinated. Despite this, the medical record showed no documentation of the influenza vaccine being administered since October 2023. The resident recalled being offered the vaccine and completing the consent form, but stated she never received the vaccine, possibly because she was out of the facility at an appointment during the scheduled vaccination clinic. The DON confirmed the presence of the signed consent and the absence of documentation for vaccine administration. The facility had used an outside company to conduct a vaccination clinic, and residents not present or admitted after the clinic were to be placed on a list for the next clinic. However, the facility also had influenza vaccines available for administration outside of scheduled clinics. Due to changes in facility leadership and the new vaccination process, the resident's vaccination was missed.