Inaccurate and Unclear Nurse Staffing Postings
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that daily nurse staffing postings were accurate and clearly presented, as required by facility policy. Review of staffing schedules and posted census information revealed multiple discrepancies, including mismatches in the number of Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) and their hours worked, as well as inconsistencies in the inclusion of trainees and medication technicians in the posted numbers. On several occasions, the census postings were not presented in a clear or readable format, and the actual staff present did not match the posted information. These inaccuracies were observed across various shifts and dates, affecting the documentation of both licensed and unlicensed nursing staff responsible for resident care. Interviews with the scheduler and the Nursing Home Administrator confirmed that the postings should accurately reflect staff present and their hours, and that trainees should not be counted in CNA hours. However, the scheduler acknowledged that some nurses included trainees in the count, and that postings were not always updated to reflect staff leaving early or calling off. The responsibility for updating the postings was shared between the scheduler and nursing staff, but the process was not consistently followed, resulting in inaccurate and unclear staffing information being made available to residents and visitors.