Failure to Provide Scheduled Showers and Bed Baths for Dependent Residents
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that two residents who were dependent on staff for activities of daily living (ADLs) received the necessary services to maintain good nutrition, grooming, and personal and oral hygiene. Both residents required maximal or total assistance with showering or bathing, as documented in their care plans and MDS assessments. Despite this, the residents reported not being offered showers or bed baths consistently according to their scheduled days, with one resident stating he had not received a shower in over a week and another indicating inconsistent provision of bed baths, despite his preference and need due to right side weakness. Record reviews revealed missing shower sheets for both residents for the month in question, indicating a lack of documentation and follow-through on scheduled hygiene care. Interviews with staff, including CNAs and an LVN, confirmed that showers and bed baths were not consistently provided. The LVN responsible for ensuring showers were completed admitted to not following up on missing shower records, and the DON was unaware that the residents had not been receiving their scheduled hygiene care. Staff also indicated that there was a reliance on evening shower staff, and if showers were not provided, this was not always communicated or documented appropriately. Facility policy required that residents receive assistance with bathing according to their individualized care plans to promote comfort, cleanliness, and skin integrity. However, the lack of consistent provision and documentation of showers and bed baths for these dependent residents constituted a failure to meet these standards, as evidenced by resident and staff interviews, missing records, and direct observations.