Failure to Maintain Resident Dignity During Staff Communication
Penalty
Summary
Staff failed to provide care and services in a dignified manner for one resident. During observation, a Registered Nurse exited a resident's room and stated in the hallway, within earshot of others, that the resident was having a bowel movement. The same nurse then entered another room and informed a CNA, in front of another resident, about the first resident's bowel movement. These actions were witnessed and documented by surveyors. Interviews with the involved nurse, the Resident Care Manager, and the Director of Nursing confirmed that such statements were not appropriate and did not align with facility policy, which requires staff-to-staff communication about residents to occur outside the hearing range of residents and the public. The facility's policy emphasizes treating residents with dignity and respect at all times, and the staff acknowledged that the observed behavior did not meet these expectations.