Failure to Allow Resident Visitation and Lack of Written Visitor Policy
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to honor a resident's right to receive visitors of their choosing at the time of their choosing. Specifically, a resident's friend and family member attempted to visit the resident in the evening, but were denied access by the Director of Nursing (DON). The DON stated that the visitors were not allowed on the unit because of a previous verbal altercation and concerns about the unit becoming 'worked up.' The DON also did not facilitate a visit in the lobby, citing that the resident was in bed, despite the resident later stating they would have liked to receive visitors that evening. The resident in question had mild cognitive impairment and was independent in meeting emotional, intellectual, physical, and social needs, according to their care plan and assessment records. The resident's friend was noted to be very involved in their care and visited several times per week, with no negative interactions reported by multiple staff members, including a Certified Medication Technician, a Certified Nurse Assistant, and an LPN. The resident's guardian also expressed the expectation that the resident's right to visitors be upheld and that staff should facilitate visits if access to the unit is restricted. Additionally, the facility did not have a written visitor policy in place, as confirmed by the Administrator. The lack of a visitor policy and the denial of visitation rights to the resident's chosen visitors constituted a failure to protect and promote the resident's rights as outlined in the facility's own policy and federal requirements.