Failure to Provide Proper BiPAP Equipment Care
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a resident with multiple respiratory diagnoses, including heart failure, asthma, obstructive sleep apnea, COPD, and chronic respiratory failure, did not receive proper respiratory care as required by facility policy. The facility's policy specified that BiPAP/CPAP masks, tubing, and humidifiers should be cleaned weekly, and humidifier water should be changed daily. However, the resident reported that the BiPAP equipment was only cleaned once since admission, and this cleaning was performed by the ADON the previous week. There was no evidence in the medical record of a regular cleaning schedule or documentation of BiPAP or humidifier care. Surveyor observations and staff interviews confirmed the lack of documentation and adherence to the cleaning schedule for the resident's BiPAP machine and equipment. The DON acknowledged that the resident's medical record did not contain any documentation of BiPAP or humidifier maintenance, indicating that the necessary respiratory care and services were not provided in accordance with facility policy.