Call Lights Not Accessible to Residents with Severe Cognitive Impairment
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that call lights were accessible for use by residents, as required by facility policy. During the investigation, it was observed that one resident's call light was found on the floor at the bottom of the bed, out of the resident's reach. A Certified Nursing Assistant confirmed that the call light was not accessible to the resident. This resident had a history of multiple complex medical conditions, including multiple sclerosis, diabetes, severe cognitive deficit, and a history of falls. Another resident was observed with their call light clipped to an enabler bar, hanging down and also out of reach. A Registered Nurse verified that the call light was not within the resident's reach. This resident also had significant medical issues, including metabolic encephalopathy, generalized muscle weakness, cognitive communication deficit, and severe cognitive impairment. The facility's policy requires that call lights be placed within the resident's reach and answered promptly, but this was not followed in these instances.