Failure to Provide Timely Wound Care Orders After Hospital Discharge
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a resident with multiple medical diagnoses, including chronic kidney disease, osteoarthritis, and a recent hospital admission for a wound on the left great toe, was readmitted to the facility. Hospital records indicated the wound was positive for Staphylococcus aureus and included a physician's order for an antibiotic regimen, with eight doses remaining at discharge. The hospital discharge paperwork also contained laboratory results confirming the infection. Upon review of the facility's medical record, it was found that there were no orders for wound care or dressing changes for the resident's left great toe from the date of readmission through two days later. This lack of timely wound care was confirmed in an interview with the Administrator and the DON, who verified that no wound care or dressing change orders were in place during this period. The facility's own wound care policy, which aims to promote healing, was not followed in this instance.