Failure to Provide Timely and Effective PRN Pain Management After Fracture
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to provide adequate and timely pain management to a resident following an injury that resulted in a left distal femur fracture. The resident had diagnoses of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and generalized anxiety disorder, and had a standing PRN order for acetaminophen 325 mg, three tablets by mouth every six hours as needed for pain. The care plan identified the resident as having potential for pain related to arthritis, with interventions including administering medications as prescribed and monitoring effectiveness. On the date of the incident, during a transfer by a nurse aide, a popping sound was heard and the resident reported increased left knee pain. The nurse supervisor directed the charge nurse to obtain vital signs and administer acetaminophen around 4:15 PM, which was documented as effective at that time. Later that evening, around 10:40 PM, the charge nurse noted the resident yelled out in pain when the left leg was lifted and observed swelling of the left knee. Despite recognizing the resident’s pain at that time, the charge nurse did not administer another dose of acetaminophen, even though more than six hours had elapsed since the prior dose and the medication was ordered every six hours as needed. The provider was notified and ordered a STAT x-ray, continuation of PRN Tylenol, and application of ice. During the overnight shift, the oncoming LPN was informed that the resident had been in pain at the end of the prior shift and observed that the resident appeared uncomfortable throughout the night. However, this nurse did not administer acetaminophen until 5:12 AM, assuming the prior nurse had already given it and failing to verify the last administration time on the MAR. After the 5:12 AM dose, the resident continued to appear restless and uncomfortable during care, and the acetaminophen was documented as ineffective for a pain level of 10/10. Although the nurse reported the unrelieved pain to the nursing supervisor, there was no documentation that the provider was notified of the ineffective pain control or that any additional or alternative pain medication was obtained prior to the resident’s transfer to the hospital later that morning. The facility’s pain policy required acute pain to be assessed every 30–60 minutes until relief was obtained, review of the MAR to determine PRN use and effectiveness, and reporting of significant changes in pain level and prolonged, unrelieved pain to the practitioner. These steps were not followed, resulting in prolonged unrelieved pain for the resident after the injury and prior to hospital transfer.
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