Failure to Ensure Resident Privacy During Incontinence Care
Penalty
Summary
Staff failed to ensure a resident's right to privacy and dignity during the provision of incontinence care. Two CNAs provided care to a resident with severe cognitive impairment, including vascular dementia, without pulling the privacy curtain or that of the roommate, leaving the resident exposed in full view of the roommate who was present and facing the resident. This action was observed directly by surveyors during the care procedure. Interviews with the CNAs involved revealed that one did not consider the privacy issue at the time, while the other acknowledged awareness of the privacy requirement but noted the curtain did not fully close. The facility's policies and training materials, as well as statements from the Staff Development Coordinator and DON, confirmed that staff were instructed and expected to ensure privacy for all residents during personal care, and that the failure to do so violated the resident's right to respectful and dignified care.