Failure to Maintain Functioning Bathroom/Shower Call Light System
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to ensure a functioning call light system in a resident bathroom/shower area. One dependent resident with diagnoses including unspecified osteoarthritis, lack of coordination, and a need for assistance with personal care reported that the shower call light in her bathroom was not working. She stated that the call light should be operational so she can pull the string to obtain staff assistance and reported that she had informed maintenance about the problem the prior week. During the surveyor’s observation, when the shower call cord in this resident’s bathroom was pulled, the string did not pull properly and the call light did not illuminate at the call light box or above the entry door to the room. On a subsequent observation with maintenance staff, the same shower call light still did not function; it did not illuminate at the call box, above the door, or activate at the nurse’s station. The maintenance staff member stated that call lights should function by activating and lighting above the door and registering at the nurse’s station and acknowledged being made aware that this bathroom shower call light was not working, but could not recall who informed him or when he was informed. The facility’s call light policy states that call bell system defects will be reported promptly to maintenance for servicing and that rooms should be checked frequently until the system is repaired. The facility did not provide a policy for a functioning call light system at the time of survey exit.
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