Failure to Maintain Resident Dignity by Not Concealing Catheter Bag
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency was identified when a male resident with severe cognitive impairment, renal failure, and a suprapubic catheter was observed with his catheter bag hanging from his bed in clear public view, without a privacy bag covering it. The catheter bag was visible from the entrance to the resident's room, and there was no intervention in the resident's care plan addressing the use of a catheter bag. The resident required full assistance with activities of daily living and had a diagnosis of bladder incontinence, but the care plan did not specify measures to maintain dignity regarding catheter use. During the survey, a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) confirmed that the catheter bag should have been covered with a privacy bag to protect the resident's dignity. The Director of Nursing (DON) also acknowledged the issue, stating that it was a dignity concern and that the catheter bag should always be covered. The facility's policy on dignity emphasized the importance of promoting residents' sense of well-being and self-worth, but this policy was not followed in the observed instance.