Failure to Coordinate and Document Hospice Services for Resident
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure proper collaboration and communication between the hospice provider and facility staff for a resident receiving hospice care. The resident, who had diagnoses including hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and coronary artery disease, required assistance with activities of daily living, supplemental oxygen, and was incontinent. The care plan indicated the resident was on hospice services and included general directives for staff to work with the hospice team and provide comfort, but lacked specific information regarding the hospice provider's contact details, the services and supplies hospice would provide, and the frequency of hospice staff visits. Interviews with facility staff revealed gaps in knowledge and communication about the hospice services. A certified nurse aide stated that nurses typically informed staff about which residents were on hospice and when hospice would visit, but did not have access to the care plan or detailed information about hospice-provided supplies. A licensed nurse was aware the care plan mentioned hospice but could not confirm if it included specifics about supplies or visit schedules. The administrative nurse acknowledged that the care plan should include this information but it was not present at the time of review. The facility's own hospice program policy required collaboration and a coordinated care plan with the hospice provider, including documentation of services, supplies, and visit schedules in the medical record. Despite this policy, the care plan for the resident on hospice did not contain the necessary details to guide staff in coordinating care with the hospice provider, resulting in a deficiency related to the provision and documentation of hospice services.