Failure to Provide Scheduled Bathing Assistance to Dependent Residents
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide scheduled bathing assistance to three residents who required help with activities of daily living, specifically bathing. Clinical record reviews, resident interviews, and documentation revealed that these residents did not consistently receive their scheduled baths, despite care plans indicating the need for assistance. For example, one resident with muscle wasting and repeated falls was scheduled for baths twice weekly but only received two baths in November and none in the first 20 days of December. Another resident with dementia and Parkinson's disease, also scheduled for twice-weekly baths, missed several scheduled bathing dates in both November and December. A third resident, requiring substantial assistance due to unsteadiness and repeated falls, similarly missed multiple scheduled baths over the same period. Resident interviews confirmed that baths were not consistently offered as scheduled, with some residents expressing distress or dissatisfaction about missed baths. While some residents occasionally refused bathing, documentation and interviews indicated that refusals were not the primary reason for the missed baths. Instead, residents reported that they were not routinely offered the opportunity to bathe according to their care plans, and in some cases, could not recall being offered a bath at all on certain dates. Staff interviews revealed operational issues contributing to the deficiency. A CNA reported that recent staff resignations and changes in the bathing schedule, including shifting some baths to the night shift, resulted in residents not receiving their scheduled baths. The CNA stated that night-shift baths were often not completed, and day-shift staff were expected to compensate for missed baths in addition to their regular duties, leading to further lapses. The facility's policy required documentation of bathing, including refusals and interventions, but records showed incomplete adherence to these requirements.