Call Light Not Accessible to Resident with Hemiplegia
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a male resident with hemiplegia, chronic kidney disease, heart failure, obstructive uropathy, and atrial fibrillation was found in bed with his call light on the floor behind the head of his bed, out of his reach. The resident, who was alert and had no cognitive impairment, stated he was unaware the call light was on the floor and could not reach it due to his partial paralysis. He expressed that he required the call light to request staff assistance for activities of daily living and would not be able to call for help if needed. The resident did not know how the call light ended up on the floor and confirmed he did not place it there. Staff interviews confirmed that the call light was not within the resident's reach at the time of observation, and staff acknowledged that this posed a safety concern, as the resident would not be able to summon help and could potentially fall if attempting to retrieve it. The facility's policies require that residents have access to a call system from their bed and guarantee residents' rights to a dignified existence and the ability to communicate their needs. The failure to ensure the call light was accessible was observed and confirmed by multiple staff members, including nursing and administrative personnel.