Failure to Maintain Functioning Call Light System in Resident Rooms and Bathrooms
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to ensure a functioning call light system in resident bathrooms and bathing areas, as required by its own Call Lights policy. The policy, last revised on the cited date, states that residents will have a call light or alternative communication device at each bedside, toilet, and bathing room, and that staff will immediately report call light problems to the supervisor and/or Maintenance Director and provide immediate or alternative solutions until repairs are made. Surveyor observation on the cited date at 1:20 p.m. showed that the call lights above an occupied resident room (29A) and unoccupied rooms (27A, 26A, and 25A) did not turn on when the call buttons were pressed. In a separate observation at 1:10 p.m. in room [ROOM NUMBER]B, a resident was seen attempting to use her call light. During an interview at 12:20 p.m., the Maintenance Director stated that the call lights for rooms 29A, 27A, 26A, and 25A should have been working and acknowledged that residents need functioning call lights in case they need assistance. The Maintenance Director also stated that nurses may directly notify maintenance of needed repairs and that maintenance would repair them right away. Later, at 1:37 p.m., a CNA was observed in room [ROOM NUMBER]B switching out a broken call light with a working one. In a further interview at 12:20 p.m., the Maintenance Director confirmed that the call light in room [ROOM NUMBER]B should have worked but did not, and acknowledged that it should have been replaced sooner but was not.
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