Failure to Maintain Dignity During Assisted Feeding
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed that staff failed to assist residents with feeding in a manner that preserved their dignity. Specifically, registered nurses were seen mixing together all pureed food items on residents' trays before feeding them, despite there being no care plan directive to do so. This practice was observed with three cognitively impaired residents who required physical assistance with eating. In one instance, a nurse mixed a resident's pureed entrée items together and fed her the combined meal. In another case, a nurse mixed all of a resident's pureed food items together after the resident exhibited anxiety and attempted to grab her meal. The care plans for these residents did not specify that their foods should be mixed together. Additionally, staff were observed standing over residents while assisting them with meals, rather than sitting at eye level, which is not consistent with promoting dignity during feeding. The facility's administrator confirmed that staff should not stand over residents or mix pureed food items together when assisting with feeding. The facility's policy on resident dignity emphasizes the importance of promoting quality of life, dignity, and respect, and creating a positive and enjoyable experience during mealtimes. These observations indicate that staff actions did not align with the facility's stated policy or the residents' care plans.