Unattended Unlocked Computer on Med Cart Exposes Resident Records
Penalty
Summary
Licensed Vocational Nurse 3 (LVN 3) left the computer on the medication cart in Station 3 unlocked and unattended, providing potential access to residents' electronic health records (EHR). This was observed during a survey, where the computer screen was found open and accessible, allowing anyone to potentially view confidential resident information. Both Registered Nurse 5 (RN 5) and LVN 3 acknowledged that the computer should have been locked when unattended to prevent unauthorized access to residents' records. The Director of Nurses (DON) confirmed that facility policy requires licensed nurses to lock computers when leaving the medication cart to maintain residents' privacy. The facility's policy and procedure on Resident Rights, last reviewed on 5/14/2025, states that residents are to be assured confidential treatment of their financial and medical records. The failure to lock the computer, even when not displaying a specific resident's record, was recognized as a breach of this policy and had the potential to compromise the privacy of all residents in the facility.