Resident Medical Information Left Unprotected in Hallway
Penalty
Summary
Facility staff failed to protect the privacy of residents' medical information on one of three nursing units observed during a complaint survey. A cart was left unattended in the hallway with a laptop displaying patient information and a paper listing medical details for 11 residents, including their MOLST status, diet, and medications. The information was visible to anyone passing by. The surveyor observed the cart for seven minutes while the nurse was inside a resident's room, during which time someone walked by and could have seen the exposed information. When questioned, both the Assistant Director of Nursing and the LPN responsible for the cart acknowledged that resident information should not be left visible and uncovered. The LPN explained that she left the cart to attend to a resident who was leaning in a way she did not like, but during this time, the surveyor noted that the nurse and resident were calmly conversing about daily tasks. The Nursing Home Administrator was informed of the situation and acknowledged understanding of the concern.