Resident Denied Restroom Access and Assistance in Therapy Department
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a resident was denied access and assistance to a bathroom in the therapy department, resulting in an incontinence episode. The incident took place when the resident, who was on his way to a doctor's appointment, urgently needed to use the restroom and attempted to use the therapy department bathroom. Staff in the therapy department informed the resident that he could not use the restroom without assistance and that he was not permitted to use the therapy bathroom unless he was in treatment. The staff offered to take the resident back to his unit to use the bathroom, but did not offer direct assistance with toileting in the therapy department. Additionally, a wheelchair was placed in front of the bathroom door to block access, and no staff contacted the nursing department for assistance. The resident, who had diagnoses of Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease, was alert and oriented with intact cognition, as indicated by a recent assessment. He required assistance for transfers (stand and pivot) and sometimes used a sit-to-stand lift, but therapy notes indicated he was able to use the restroom with minimal to no assistance. Despite his ability to communicate his needs and his history of being able to toilet himself, the staff did not provide the necessary support or allow him to use the available restroom, leading to the resident soiling himself and missing his scheduled appointment. Staff statements confirmed that the resident expressed urgency and distress, and that the therapy staff did not personally assist him to the restroom nor did they seek help from nursing staff. The Director of Rehab later stated that the facility's verbal policy is to accommodate all residents' restroom needs and that there was no excuse for denying access. The resident reported feeling angry and embarrassed by the incident, which he described as inconsistent with his prior experiences at the facility.