Failure to Maintain Clean and Safe Bathroom Environment Due to Unaddressed Sink Leak
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain a clean and homelike environment by not addressing a leaking sink drain in one of the shared bathrooms used exclusively by a resident. Over the course of several days, surveyors observed increasing puddles of clear liquid, identified as water, accumulating on the bathroom floor beneath and in front of the sink. The leak originated from a cracked p-trap under the sink, which was confirmed by the Director of Maintenance upon inspection. The water leak was not reported or noticed by housekeeping staff, nurse aides, or nursing staff during their routine duties, despite the presence of water on the floor during multiple observations. No wet floor signs were displayed to warn of the hazard during this period. Interviews with staff revealed that the maintenance team was unaware of the issue until it was brought to their attention by surveyors. The facility's process for reporting maintenance issues involved staff filling out a work order and placing it in a designated box, or verbally notifying maintenance for urgent matters. However, in this instance, none of the staff who entered the bathroom reported the leak, and the maintenance worker only became aware of the problem after being informed by the Director of Maintenance. The resident using the bathroom had impaired cognition and sometimes used the bathroom independently, which could have increased the risk of harm due to the unaddressed water leak.