Delayed Notification of Change in Condition to Resident's Representative
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure timely notification of a resident's representative regarding a significant change in the resident's condition. According to the facility's policy, the physician and family or responsible party are to be notified as soon as the nurse identifies a change in condition and the resident is stable. In this instance, a resident who was cognitively intact and required staff assistance for daily care was diagnosed with Covid and placed on isolation precautions. However, documentation showed that the resident's emergency contact was not informed of the positive Covid diagnosis until two days after the diagnosis was made. This delay in notification was confirmed through review of clinical records and staff interviews, including with the Director of Nursing, who acknowledged that the family should have been notified as soon as possible per facility policy. The deficiency was identified for one of eight residents reviewed, and the failure to promptly inform the resident's representative constituted non-compliance with both facility policy and regulatory requirements.