Failure to Protect Residents' Right to Unopened Mail
Penalty
No penalty information released
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Summary
The facility failed to protect and facilitate residents' rights to receive unopened mail, as evidenced by two cognitively intact residents reporting that their mail was opened against their wishes. Resident 16, with a perfect score on the Brief Interview of Mental Status (BIMS), stated during an interview that mail addressed to them was opened without consent. Similarly, Resident 17, also cognitively intact per their BIMS score, reported receiving mail that had been opened, with the envelope showing a date stamp and initials on the back. The Nursing Home Administrator confirmed that the Business Office had opened residents' mail, in violation of resident rights as outlined in 28 Pa Code 201.29 (j).