Failure to Provide Dignified Mealtime Assistance
Penalty
Summary
Staff failed to provide respectful and dignified care to a resident during mealtime assistance. Observation showed that an LPN stood at the bedside while assisting the resident with eating, rather than sitting at the resident's side as required by facility policy and current standards of practice. The facility's policies on feeding dependent residents and resident rights specifically state that staff should sit beside residents when assisting with meals to ensure dignity and adequate nutrition. The Staff Development Nurse observed this deviation from policy and provided immediate correction to the LPN. The resident involved had a history of chronic kidney disease, diabetes, and cerebral palsy, and was admitted to the facility in October 2022. According to the most recent assessment, the resident was unable to complete a mental status interview but had modified independence with cognitive skills for daily decision making and required set-up assistance for eating. On the day of the incident, the resident was not feeling well and needed more assistance than usual. The failure to follow established procedures for meal assistance resulted in a lack of dignified care for the resident.