Failure to Secure Smoking Materials per Facility Policy
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to follow its established policy and procedures regarding safe smoking practices for one resident. According to the facility's Resident Smoking Policy, all smoking supplies for both supervised and independent smokers are to be kept in a locked nursing medication room, and residents are not permitted to keep smoking supplies in their possession. A review of the clinical record for a resident with quadriplegia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease showed that the resident was assessed as cognitively intact and able to smoke independently, with the understanding that smoking materials must be returned to staff when not in use. During an observation, the resident was found in their room with smoking materials, including two lighters and a pack of cigarettes, which were not secured by staff as required by policy. The resident stated that they kept their smoking supplies in a locked drawer in their bedside cabinet. The Nursing Home Administrator confirmed that the facility policy requires all smoking supplies to be secured by staff, regardless of independent smoking status, and was unable to provide evidence that staff were monitoring the resident's storage of smoking materials. This failure to follow policy was identified through review of records, interviews, and direct observation.