Failure to Provide Timely Pain Management
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide timely and appropriate pain management for a resident who was admitted following a left ureteral stent placement. The resident, who was cognitively intact and experiencing pain that interfered with activities of daily living, reported severe pain and stated that they had not received their scheduled noon dose of Tylenol and had been waiting over two hours for PRN pain medication. The resident also indicated that they had repeatedly asked staff for pain relief and had not received adequate pain management since admission. Observation confirmed the absence of prescribed lidocaine patches, and the resident reported not having any patches applied. Review of the resident's medication orders and administration records revealed multiple missed or delayed doses of both scheduled and PRN pain medications, including Tylenol, tramadol, lidocaine patches, and oxycodone. Staff interviews indicated a lack of awareness regarding the resident's pain and requests for medication, and a medication technician admitted to forgetting to apply the lidocaine patches. The Director of Nursing was unable to explain the significant delays in administering pain medications and acknowledged that medications should be given consistently and in a timely manner.