Failure to Maintain Clean and Homelike Shower Facilities
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide a safe, clean, comfortable, and homelike environment for a resident by not maintaining cleanliness in the shower rooms. The resident, who had diagnoses including osteoarthritis of the left hip and immunodeficiency, reported that the shower rooms were not always clean and described smelling mold and observing black spots in the shower area during use. The resident expressed discomfort with the condition of the shower facilities, specifically noting black discoloration on the corners of the floors and around the soap rest in one of the shower booths. Multiple observations by facility staff, including maintenance assistants, the maintenance supervisor, the administrator, and the DON, confirmed the presence of black discolorations in the shower booth. These areas included around the soap rest, the cracks where the mosaic tile floors met the tile walls, and the corner edge of the tiled wall near the grab bar. Staff acknowledged that these areas were dirty and required cleaning, and the DON stated that the shower rooms should have been in better condition. Further interviews revealed that the janitor responsible for cleaning the shower rooms did not have a set schedule or checklist for deep cleaning and performed deep cleaning based on perceived need. The janitor was unable to remove the black spots and had not reported the issue to supervisors due to their absence. Facility policies reviewed indicated that residents should be provided with a clean, sanitary, and orderly environment, and that environmental surfaces should be disinfected regularly and when visibly soiled.