Failure to Develop and Implement Care Plan for Resident at Risk of Head Lice
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to develop a care plan for a resident who was at risk for contracting head lice after her roommate was diagnosed with head lice. On review of records, it was found that when the first resident was observed with head lice, there was no care plan created for the second resident, who shared the room and was therefore at risk. The Infection Preventionist confirmed that a care plan should have been developed for the at-risk resident due to her close contact with the affected roommate, but this was not done. Further review showed that the at-risk resident was later found to have live head lice and received treatment. However, there was no documentation that she was monitored for head lice after the initial assessment and treatment. The Infection Preventionist stated that the resident should have been monitored every shift for signs of itching and for the presence of lice or nits, but the absence of documentation indicated that this monitoring did not occur. The facility's policy requires a comprehensive, person-centered care plan with measurable objectives and timetables for each resident, which was not implemented in this case.