Failure to Obtain Consent from Resident Representative for Personal Care
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to obtain consent from a resident's responsible party (RP) before providing a haircut to a resident who was unable to make decisions due to severely impaired cognitive skills. The resident, admitted with diagnoses including dementia, right femur fracture, lack of coordination, and dysphagia, was assessed as having no capacity to understand or make decisions and was dependent on staff for most activities of daily living. Despite this, the facility's hairdresser cut the resident's hair without prior consent from the RP. Interviews with the resident's RP, the Activities Director, and the Social Services Designee confirmed that consent was not obtained before the haircut was given. The facility's policy stated that the resident representative has the right to exercise the resident's rights to the extent delegated and that residents must be informed in advance of care to be furnished. The failure to obtain consent resulted in a violation of the resident representative's right to make decisions on behalf of the resident.