Resident Instructed to Urinate in Bed Rather Than Transfer Independently
Penalty
Summary
A resident with a history of hip fracture and fibromyalgia, who was cognitively intact and required moderate staff assistance for transfers, reported being told by a speech therapist to urinate in bed if staff were not available to assist with toileting, rather than attempting to transfer independently. The resident described this comment as mortifying and degrading. The speech therapist stated she did not recall the specific resident but acknowledged that she instructs residents to follow safety recommendations and, if aware of unsafe transfer attempts, would advise urinating in bed rather than risking injury by transferring alone. The interim Director of Nursing Services did not recall the incident or the resident but stated that staff are expected to treat all residents with dignity and respect.