Failure to Provide Scheduled Bathing and Hygiene Assistance
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a resident who was totally dependent on staff for activities of daily living, including bathing, did not receive scheduled showers or bed baths over a ten-day period. The resident, who was cognitively intact and required total assistance for showering, dressing, and transferring, was always incontinent of bowel and bladder. Documentation and interviews confirmed that the resident was not bathed on multiple scheduled days, and staff failed to provide either a shower or a bed bath, even when the shower room was out of order. The resident reported not being offered showers or bed baths as scheduled and expressed feeling unclean. Staff interviews revealed a lack of communication and follow-through regarding the resident's bathing schedule. The assigned CNA did not provide alternative bathing methods when the shower was unavailable, and the shower aide did not inquire about the resident's absence from scheduled showers. Nursing staff and administration were unaware that the resident had missed multiple baths, and there was no documentation of refusals or reasons for missed care. The facility's policy required residents to be offered showers at least once weekly and as requested, but this was not followed for the resident in question.