Failure to Provide Scheduled Showers or Bed Baths
Penalty
Summary
A resident with hemiplegia following a cerebral infarction, resulting in loss of movement on the right side of the body, was admitted to the facility and required maximal assistance for showering and bathing, as documented in the Minimum Data Set (MDS). Despite being scheduled for showers twice weekly, records showed that the resident did not receive a shower or bed bath for a period of 16 days. There was no documentation indicating that the resident refused care during this time. During an observation, the resident was noted to have an accumulation of dirt under her fingernails and dry, flaky skin on her right hand. The resident reported only receiving a couple of bed baths in the past month and expressed dissatisfaction with the frequency of grooming, stating a desire to be groomed more often. The Director of Nursing confirmed the lack of documentation for refusals and acknowledged that the resident should have received four showers or bed baths during the 16-day period, as per the facility's schedule and policy.