Failure to Communicate with Residents in Preferred Language
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that two residents were communicated with in their preferred language, as required by their care needs and facility policy. Both residents were cognitively intact and had documented language preferences other than English in their Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessments. Despite this, interviews revealed that one resident experienced ongoing difficulty communicating with medication nurses, and no alternative communication methods or interpretation services were offered to assist him in understanding his care. The other resident also had a language preference documented but there was no evidence that this need was accommodated. The Director of Nursing acknowledged during an interview that lack of communication in a resident's preferred language could lead to frustration and that an appropriate intervention would be to obtain another staff member to interpret. The facility's policy on accommodating communication deficits stated that communication needs would be identified and appropriate interventions, including care planning, would be developed to meet those needs. However, the facility did not implement these interventions for the two residents, resulting in their communication needs not being met.