Failure to Provide Privacy During Wound Care
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a wound care nurse (WCN) failed to provide adequate privacy for a male resident during wound care. The resident, who had diagnoses including congestive heart failure, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and a pressure ulcer, was observed receiving wound care with the door left open and only part of the privacy curtain closed. This left the resident exposed to anyone passing by in the hallway. The WCN acknowledged the importance of privacy for residents and admitted that she should have closed the door or the rest of the curtain but did not do so, citing uncertainty about how the wound care process would be observed and stating she forgot to close the door. The Director of Nursing (DON) confirmed that the resident's privacy and dignity were not maintained, as the door or curtain should have been closed to prevent exposure. Review of the facility's policy on promoting and maintaining resident dignity emphasized the importance of protecting resident rights and maintaining privacy. The failure to follow these procedures resulted in a lack of privacy for the resident during a sensitive care procedure.