Failure to Maintain Resident Ambulation Post-PT Discharge
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when the facility failed to ensure that a resident did not lose the ability to ambulate after being discharged from Physical Therapy (PT). The resident, who was cognitively intact and had previously ambulated with a hemi walker under supervision, expressed concern about not walking since PT discharge and only using a wheelchair for mobility. The resident's care plan indicated a referral to the Restorative Nursing Program (RNP) upon PT discharge, but interviews revealed that the RNP was not in place at the facility. Nursing staff acknowledged that while they could assist residents with walking post-PT, this was not being done for the resident in question. Further investigation showed that the resident was not participating in the Walk to Dine program due to limited walking distance, and no alternative ambulation support was provided. Staff interviews confirmed that the resident had not been walked by nursing staff since PT discharge, and there was no process in place to monitor or maintain the resident's ambulation abilities. As a result, the facility failed to provide necessary services to prevent a decline in the resident's ability to perform activities of daily living, specifically ambulation, without a documented medical reason.