Failure to Maintain Resident Room Temperature Within Policy Range
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain a comfortable room temperature for a resident with diagnoses including epilepsy, depression, and cerebral infarction. The resident, who was moderately cognitively impaired and required staff assistance with activities of daily living, was observed on multiple occasions to be in bed covered with a thick blanket. During interviews, the resident consistently reported that her room was too cold. Temperature measurements taken in the resident's room by the Maintenance Director confirmed that the room temperature was below the facility's policy range of 71 to 81 degrees Fahrenheit, with readings of 68 and 70.2 degrees Fahrenheit on separate occasions. The facility's policy on extreme cold temperature protocol specifies that ambient air temperature should be maintained within this range to ensure a safe and comfortable environment. The failure to maintain the required temperature range resulted in the resident experiencing discomfort due to cold room conditions.