Failure to Secure Smoking Materials and Hazardous Chemicals
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to secure electronic smoking materials for a resident who required supervision while vaping, as outlined in the facility's own Smoking/E-Cigarette Safety Program policy. The resident, who had a history of stroke resulting in limited movement in his right arm and leg, was observed in possession of a vape pen outside of supervised smoking times, with the device not stored at the nurse's station as required. Staff interviews confirmed that smoking supplies were supposed to be kept secured, but the resident retained access to the vape pen, contrary to policy and the resident's care plan. Additionally, the facility did not implement a system for securing and storing potentially toxic chemicals in a shower room. The shower room door was repeatedly observed to be unlocked and open, and an unlocked cabinet inside contained a bottle labeled as potentially hazardous. Multiple staff members acknowledged that the shower room door was left open and accessible to residents, despite the expectation that it should remain closed and locked. These lapses in securing both smoking materials and hazardous chemicals created accident hazards within the facility.