Failure to Document and Respond to Resident Grievances Regarding Care Delays
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency was identified when the facility failed to provide evidence of documented grievances submitted by a resident regarding delays in call-light response and concerns related to activities of daily living (ADL) care. The resident, who was alert, oriented, and verbally responsive, had significant self-care limitations due to left-sided impairment and recent right-sided surgery. Her care plan required assistance with bathing, eating, hygiene, mobility, toileting, transfers, skin assessments, and the use of a call bell for help. Despite these needs, the resident reported waiting approximately four hours for assistance after activating her call light during nighttime hours and expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of care received upon admission. The resident stated that she communicated her concerns to nursing staff, but no improvements were observed. She also reported that certified nursing assistants (CNAs) told her they were responsible for 16 residents and did not have adequate time to provide timely care. The resident's family reported concerns to the Administrator but perceived the response as indifferent. Additionally, when the resident requested to receive ADL care before other residents due to her functional limitations, staff reportedly told her that permanent residents were prioritized over her. The administration did not address her complaints, and no documentation of her grievances was found. Interviews with staff revealed that while the resident's complaints were communicated to the Director of Nursing (DON) and documented in the facility's electronic system for other residents, no grievance documentation was submitted for this resident. The social worker confirmed that no grievance submissions were received from the resident and that there was no documentation indicating staff had submitted grievances on her behalf. The DON also stated that she had not received complaints from the resident or her family and described the facility's grievance procedure, which requires documentation and resolution within three days. However, no documentation existed for the resident's grievance, resulting in noncompliance with regulatory requirements.
Plan Of Correction
Resident #75 - grievances regarding ADL care and call light response were documented and addressed. A quality audit of current residents was conducted to ensure there are no undocumented grievances regarding delay in call light response and concerns related to activities of daily living (ADL) care. The Director of Nursing will educate the nursing staff on ensuring that grievances with residents' concerns are documented and addressed. The Director of Nursing and/or designee will conduct weekly audits for 4 weeks and randomly thereafter for 2 months to ensure that staff is documenting grievances with residents' concerns. Audits will be reported to the Quality Assurance Performance Improvement Committee monthly for 3 months or until substantial compliance has been met. per physician orders.