Failure to Provide Privacy Curtains for Residents Receiving Personal Care
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that resident rooms were equipped to provide adequate privacy for two residents who shared a room. Both residents, a female with severe cognitive impairment and mobility limitations, and a male with paraplegia and an indwelling catheter, required assistance with incontinence care and other activities of daily living. Despite their need for personal care, there was no privacy curtain in their shared room, which was observed during multiple staff and resident interviews. Interviews with the residents revealed that the female resident was uncomfortable and embarrassed by the lack of privacy during personal care, especially as she shared the room with her male family member. The male resident stated he was not bothered by the absence of privacy curtains but acknowledged it might affect his roommate. Staff members, including CNAs and an LVN, confirmed that there were no privacy curtains in the room and that they sometimes attempted to use sheets to provide some privacy. However, none of the staff had reported the missing curtains to facility management prior to the survey. Facility leadership, including the Assistant Maintenance Director, Administrator, and DON, were unaware of the missing privacy curtains until it was brought to their attention during the survey. There was no documentation or care plan indicating that the residents or their families had requested the removal or absence of privacy curtains. The facility's policy required the promotion and maintenance of resident privacy, but this was not followed in the case of these two residents.