Failure to Offer Roommate Option to Leave After Co-Resident’s Death
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to ensure a resident was treated in a dignified manner after his/her roommate died in their shared room. According to medical record review, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) pronounced the roommate deceased at 1:47 A.M., and the funeral home did not remove the body until 5:09 A.M. During this time, the surviving resident, who was cognitively intact and had diagnoses including quadriplegia, malnutrition, diabetes, and general muscle weakness, remained in the same room. The surviving resident was in the bed farthest from the door, and staff closed the privacy curtain between the beds and likely closed the room door, but did not remove the resident from the room. In an interview, the surviving resident reported that no one came in to ask if he/she wanted to leave the room or if he/she was okay, and stated that he/she did not like the situation and felt very upset and uncomfortable, particularly in light of a recent loss of his/her son. Staff interviews indicated that both an LPN and a CNA understood that standard practice when a resident passes away is to take the roommate out of the room or at least offer the option to leave, especially when family comes to see the deceased resident. The Administrator and DON confirmed they would expect staff to ask the roommate to leave the room after a death and stated it was not dignified to leave the roommate in the room or to have family see the deceased with the roommate still present.
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