Failure to Maintain Clean Privacy Curtain in Resident Room
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency was identified when a resident's privacy curtain was observed to have a dried brown substance measuring approximately 0.5 cm x 1 cm. Multiple staff interviews confirmed that it was the responsibility of all staff to report soiled privacy curtains to the maintenance department, which would then remove, launder, and rehang the curtains. Despite this policy, the soiled curtain was not reported to the maintenance director, and the curtain remained dirty over multiple days of observation. Staff members, including CNAs, LVNs, and housekeeping, acknowledged the importance of keeping privacy curtains clean for infection control and resident dignity, but the required reporting and cleaning process was not followed in this instance. The resident involved was an elderly female with severe cognitive impairment, non-Alzheimer's dementia, anxiety, and stage 2 chronic kidney disease. She required supervision for activities of daily living and reported that the dirty curtain did not affect her daily life, partly due to poor vision. Review of facility policy confirmed that privacy curtains should be laundered or replaced immediately if soiled, but this procedure was not adhered to, resulting in a failure to maintain a sanitary and comfortable environment for the resident.