Failure to Provide Nail Hygiene Assistance to Dependent Resident
Penalty
Summary
A dependent resident who required substantial to maximal staff assistance with personal hygiene and grooming was observed on two separate occasions to have long fingernails extending beyond the fingertips, with darkened material and dried blood present under several nails. The resident also had a skin injury with dried, smeared blood on the left forearm. These observations were made despite the resident having a care plan in place since October 2024, which identified a self-care deficit and a risk for skin integrity issues, and included interventions for staff to assist with daily hygiene and grooming. Clinical record reviews and Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessments confirmed the resident's need for extensive assistance with hygiene. Interviews with facility leadership and clinical staff acknowledged the concern regarding the resident's nail hygiene. The failure to provide adequate assistance with nail care and hygiene for this dependent resident constituted a deficiency under the cited nursing services regulation.