Failure to Provide Appropriate Body Soap for Resident Care
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to accommodate the body soap needs of four out of five residents, as evidenced by staff interviews, observations, and review of facility policy and records. The facility's policy requires providing necessary care and services to maintain residents' well-being, but staff reported that the facility stopped purchasing body soap for resident care. Instead, staff were instructed to use hand soap from the sink dispensers, which was confirmed by multiple nurse aides and housekeeping staff. Some staff members reported bringing in their own soap from home due to concerns about residents' already dry skin and the inappropriateness of using hand soap for bathing. Observations and interviews confirmed that the soap available in residents' rooms was labeled as Gentle Foam Soap, intended for hand cleansing, not for use as body wash. Central supply and housekeeping staff corroborated that the facility had discontinued purchasing individual bottles of body soap and was now using hand soap in resident care areas. The affected residents had various medical conditions, including high blood pressure, hemiparesis, hemiplegia, schizophrenia, stroke, COPD, chest pain, and urinary tract infection. The deficiency was cited under state regulations for responsibility of the licensee, resident care policies, and nursing services.