Failure to Provide Privacy During Wound Care
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that all residents were treated with respect and dignity by not providing adequate privacy during wound care for one resident. During an observation, a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) closed the door, pulled the middle curtain, and closed the window blind, but there was no privacy curtain at the foot of the resident's bed. The resident's roommate was present in the room during the procedure, and the resident's right upper thigh was exposed. Staff interviews revealed that the privacy curtain had been removed by housekeeping for laundering and was not replaced, leaving the resident without full privacy during care. Staff acknowledged that the absence of the curtain could result in a privacy violation if the roommate moved around the room or if someone entered. The resident involved was a male with peripheral vascular disease, an open wound, cognitive communication deficit, and a traumatic brain injury, with a BIMS score indicating moderately impaired cognition. Interviews with staff, including the LVN, Director of Nursing (DON), Administrator, and Housekeeping Supervisor, confirmed that privacy should be maintained during care and that the missing curtain was due to housekeeping oversight. The facility's policy states that residents have the right to personal privacy during medical treatment, but this was not upheld in this instance.