Failure to Ensure Privacy During Wound Care
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a registered nurse (RN) performed wound care on a resident's buttocks and sacral area without ensuring privacy by closing the window blinds. The resident, who was alert and oriented, had orders for wound care due to left buttock wound, sacral redness, and bilateral buttock redness. During the procedure, the resident stood using a walker, unbuttoned and lowered his pants and underwear to mid-thigh, while the blinds covering the window remained open. The RN did not ask the resident if he wanted the blinds closed before starting the wound care. The open blinds allowed for the possibility that anyone passing by the window could see the resident during the procedure. The RN later confirmed that the blinds should have been closed prior to performing the wound care. The resident expressed discomfort with the situation, stating that it would bother him if someone saw him and that he would prefer staff to close the blinds. The Interim Director of Nursing also stated that nurses are expected to provide dignity and respect by closing the blinds before wound care.