Failure to Ensure Resident Privacy During Incontinent Care Due to Broken Curtain
Penalty
Summary
Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) E and F failed to ensure complete privacy for a resident while providing incontinent care. During the care, the privacy curtain in the resident's room was not fully closed, leaving the resident potentially exposed to anyone entering the room. The curtain was found to be broken and could only be closed halfway, which was confirmed by both CNAs during an interview. Both staff members acknowledged that the curtain should have been fully closed to protect the resident's privacy, but they were unaware of how long the curtain had been in disrepair. The resident involved had multiple medical diagnoses, including Wernicke's encephalopathy, dysphagia, hypothyroidism, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and asthma. She was moderately cognitively impaired, always incontinent of bladder and bowel, and required total assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs). The resident's care plan indicated a need for dependent toileting hygiene due to her self-care deficits. The facility's policy stated that residents have the right to privacy, including the use of privacy curtains during care, but this was not upheld during the observed incident.