Call Light Not Accessible to Resident with Mobility Impairments
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency was identified when a resident with multiple diagnoses, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic kidney disease, heart failure, and arthritis, was found to have her call light out of reach on two separate occasions. The resident, who was moderately cognitively impaired and had significant mobility limitations, was observed lying in bed with her call light cord tied around the right side rail, hanging eight inches from the floor. She was unable to reach the call light and instead used a wooden stick to hit the bedside table or side rail to get staff attention. The resident reported that staff had been in her room earlier but did not adjust the call light to be within her reach, and she frequently could not access it when needed. Further observations confirmed that the call light remained out of reach even after her lunch was delivered, and staff did not ensure it was accessible. The facility's policy requires that call lights be within reach of residents and never placed on the floor or bedside stand. The deficiency was based on the failure of staff to ensure the call light was accessible to the resident, as required by both her care plan and facility policy.