Failure to Provide Scheduled Showers for Dependent Resident
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a resident with moderate cognitive impairment and functional limitations in both upper and lower extremities did not receive the necessary assistance with activities of daily living, specifically with bathing. The resident's care plan and facility policy required weekly showers, and the resident's preferences included choosing between a tub bath, shower, bed bath, or sponge bath. Documentation indicated that the resident was scheduled for showers on Tuesday mornings and required the assistance of one staff member for bathing. However, review of the electronic health record showed that the resident received only one shower in the past 30 days, with no documented refusals. Interviews with the resident and a family member confirmed that the resident had not received a shower in over two weeks and had only received bed baths, despite expressing a preference for showers. Both the Nursing Home Administrator and Director of Nursing acknowledged that residents should be offered weekly showers and that there was no reason for the resident not to have received them. The facility's failure to provide the scheduled and preferred showers as outlined in the care plan and policy led to the deficiency.