Nursing Staff Shortage Due to Laundry Coverage
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure adequate nursing staff to meet resident needs while also requiring nursing assistants to cover laundry services since the end of October. Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) reported that they were assigned to laundry duties during their shifts, which resulted in them leaving the floor and being less available for direct resident care. Multiple CNAs and an LPN indicated that this dual responsibility led to longer call light response times, increased workload, and delays in meal tray delivery and pick-up. Staff also noted that there were occasions when only two aides, a nurse, and a QMA were present on night shift to care for all residents while also handling laundry, and that no additional staff had been scheduled to compensate for the increased workload. The Administrator acknowledged that only one full-time housekeeper/laundry person was employed after the termination of the Housekeeping Supervisor, and that CNAs had picked up extra hours to cover laundry. The Administrator had not reached out to regional leadership or considered external sources for laundry coverage, nor had she discussed the impact of the staffing shortage with residents or staff in detail. The Facility Assessment Tool indicated a staffing plan that included more housekeeping/laundry staff than were actually present. Staff reported running out of linens on night shift, necessitating laundry to be done during evenings and nights. One resident noted that staff appeared more stressed, though did not observe increased call light response times.