Failure to Provide and Document Bathing Assistance for Dependent Residents
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide sufficient bathing assistance to residents who were dependent on staff for activities of daily living (ADL), specifically bathing and showering. For one resident with multiple complex medical conditions, including infection, sepsis, COPD, diabetes, and cognitive impairment, documentation showed that scheduled baths/showers were not offered or recorded on several occasions. The resident required at least some physical assistance or reminders from staff to complete bathing, but there was no documentation to confirm that these were provided on the missed dates. The Director of Nursing (DON) and Administrator confirmed the lack of documentation and the resident's need for assistance. Another resident, who was cognitively intact but required physical assistance with bathing due to various medical and psychiatric diagnoses, also had multiple missed or undocumented scheduled baths/showers. This resident reported not being offered a bath/shower when needed or desired, despite sometimes refusing care or preferring to wash at the sink. The DON and Administrator acknowledged that the resident often refused care but stated that documentation should exist for each scheduled bath/shower, whether completed or refused. The absence of such documentation for both residents was confirmed during interviews.