Failure to Post and Retain Daily Nurse Staffing Information
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to post daily nurse staffing information in a prominent location as required. Multiple observations on different dates and times revealed that the nurse staffing posting was not visible in the facility's halls. On one occasion, the most recent staffing sheet, dated several months prior, was found under the receptionist's counter rather than being displayed. Interviews with the administrator and receptionist confirmed that they were unaware of the requirement to post the staffing information daily and to retain these records for at least 18 months. The receptionist, who was responsible for posting the staffing sheet, admitted to having stopped this practice, with the last posting occurring several months before the survey. Record review showed that the facility's policy required daily posting of nurse staffing data, including the number of licensed and unlicensed nursing personnel responsible for direct care, within two hours of each shift's start. The policy also required that these records be kept for a minimum of 18 months or as required by state law. The failure to follow these procedures resulted in the absence of current staffing information being posted and a lack of retention of required records.