F0550 F550: Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
E

Failure to Maintain Eye-Level Dignity During Mealtime Assistance

Saint Vincent HealthcarePasadena, California Survey Completed on 11-21-2025

Summary

The facility failed to provide care in a manner that maintained dignity and respect for three sampled residents by not ensuring staff were at eye level while assisting them with meals. Resident 3 was admitted and readmitted with diagnoses including protein calorie malnutrition, dementia, and major depressive disorder. The MDS dated 10/28/2025 indicated severely impaired cognitive skills for daily decision making, partial/moderate assistance with eating, substantial/maximal assistance with oral hygiene and upper body dressing, and dependence for toileting hygiene, lower body dressing, and footwear. During an observation in Resident 3's room on 11/18/2025 at 12:39, CNA 1 was observed talking to Resident 3, who had stopped eating her food, and then feeding the resident while standing. CNA 1 was not at eye level with Resident 3. Resident 57 was admitted and readmitted with diagnoses including protein calorie malnutrition, dysphagia, dementia with psychotic disturbance, and schizoaffective disorder. The MDS dated [DATE] indicated severely impaired cognitive skills for daily decision making, partial/moderate assistance with eating, substantial/maximal assistance with upper body dressing, and dependence for oral, toileting, and personal hygiene, showering/bathing, lower body dressing, and footwear. During an observation in Resident 57's room on 11/18/2025 at 12:33 PM, CNA 1 was assisting Resident 57 with lunch while sitting on a bar stool, and the resident's bed was in the lowest position; CNA 1 was not at eye level with the resident. Resident 65 was admitted with diagnoses including vitamin D deficiency, dementia with mood disturbance, and major depressive disorder. The MDS dated [DATE] indicated severely impaired cognitive skills for daily decision making, partial/moderate assistance with eating, and dependence for oral, toileting, and personal hygiene, showering/bathing, upper and lower body dressing, and footwear. During an observation in Resident 65's room on 11/18/2025 at 12:25 PM, CNA 2 was assisting Resident 65 with lunch while sitting on a bar stool, with the bed in the lowest position, and CNA 2 was not at eye level with the resident. CNA 3 later confirmed that CNA 1 and CNA 2 were not at eye level with Residents 57 and 65 while assisting with lunch and stated staff could raise the bed or use a lower chair or stool to achieve eye level in accordance with the facility's dignity policy.

Penalty

No penalty information released
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The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.

Resources

Below are regulatory guidelines relevant to this citation:

See other F0550 citations
Failure to Maintain Resident Dignity During Catheter Care and Dining
E
F0550 F550: Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
Short Summary

Failure to maintain resident dignity was identified when three residents with indwelling urinary catheters had drainage bags hanging on the bedframe without privacy covers, despite physician orders for privacy covers every shift. In addition, a resident who was ordered to be fed by staff was observed being fed by a nurse aide standing beside the bed during lunch, and the DON confirmed the dining experience was not dignified.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Maintain Resident Dignity During Dressing Assistance
D
F0550 F550: Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
Short Summary

A resident with dementia, anxiety, and osteoarthritis was observed sitting naked on the bed in full view of the hallway while a CNA assisted with dressing. The care plan directed staff to assist with dressing, and the CNA stated the curtain had not been pulled after returning the resident from the bathroom. The ED confirmed the facility failed to maintain the resident's dignity.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Provide Dignified Dining Experience
E
F0550 F550: Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
Short Summary

Failure to provide a dignified dining experience: Four residents with significant diagnoses, including Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, cerebral palsy, TBI, and dysphagia, were brought to the assistive dining room for lunch but were not served their trays until more than 50 minutes after the posted mealtime. While other residents were already being assisted with eating, these residents were left watching the meal service, and the DON stated they should have been served at the same time as the others or not brought in until their trays were ready.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Protect Resident Dignity During Insulin Administration
D
F0550 F550: Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
Short Summary

A facility failed to protect the dignity of two residents when an LPN administered insulin injections in the commons area in full view of surveyors, staff, and other residents. The LPN lifted each resident’s shirt, cleansed the injection site, and gave the subcutaneous insulin injection publicly rather than in a private area.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Late Meal Service and Public Medication Administration
E
F0550 F550: Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
Short Summary

A resident with dementia, depression, and anxiety was seated in the dining room while other residents ate, but the lunch tray was not served with the group on two occasions. In a separate event, an LVN administered oral meds to another resident with intellectual disability and cerebral palsy in the dining room while wearing gloves, rather than in a private setting, which staff stated was not the facility’s practice and could be seen as disrespectful.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Unauthorized Shaving of Resident's Beard
E
F0550 F550: Honor the resident's right to a dignified existence, self-determination, communication, and to exercise his or her rights.
Short Summary

A resident with dementia and Alzheimer's disease had his beard completely shaved by two CNAs without his RP's consent. The RP stated the resident had worn his beard for many years and had not been seen without it, and the DON stated the RP should have been notified because the resident lacked capacity to make decisions for himself. The facility policy required staff to ask the resident or, when appropriate, the resident representative about grooming preferences upon admission.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
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