Failure to Provide Sufficient Nursing Staff Resulting in Delayed Call Bell Responses
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide sufficient nursing staff to meet the needs of residents on one of its nursing units, as evidenced by prolonged call bell response times for three residents. Resident interviews revealed that they often had to wait extended periods for staff assistance, with one resident reporting having to wait up to an hour for help with transfers or retrieving items. Another resident indicated that while she could perform some self-care, she still experienced significant delays after ringing the call bell. A third resident described variable wait times, sometimes waiting up to an hour for staff to respond. A review of electronic call bell logs for these residents over a two-week period showed multiple instances where response times exceeded 15 minutes, with some responses taking over an hour. These findings were confirmed through interviews and documentation review, and the data was shared with the Nursing Home Administrator and Director of Nursing. The deficiency was cited under state regulations for management and nursing services.