Failure to Ensure Full Visual Privacy Due to Inadequate Bed Curtains
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to provide full visual privacy for three residents whose beds lacked properly installed privacy curtains that extended around the entire bed. For one cognitively intact female resident with bone infection, multiple pressure ulcers, cerebral palsy, bowel and bladder incontinence, and total dependence for ADLs, observation showed that when her privacy curtain was pulled closed, the end of her bed remained exposed. She later stated she did not like the end of her bed being exposed, would be upset if someone entered while she was being changed, and would prefer full curtain coverage but did not know that was an option. A cognitively intact male resident with a history of stroke, diabetes, heart disease, and an ADL self-care deficit was also observed in bed with his privacy curtain pulled, yet the end of his bed remained exposed; he reported that while the exposure did not generally bother him, he would not like someone walking in while he was changing and that the curtain had been that way since admission. A third cognitively intact male resident with stroke, muscle weakness, diabetes, and substantial ADL assistance needs was observed in bed with his privacy curtain partially closed; when fully closed, the curtain still did not wrap around to cover the end of his bed. He stated he was not bothered by the uncovered end but would not like someone entering and seeing him exposed, noting that staff close the door when providing care. Multiple staff interviews revealed that maintenance was responsible for hanging privacy curtains once notified, housekeeping was described as responsible for monitoring and replacing curtains, and nurses and CNAs were identified as primarily responsible for notifying housekeeping when curtains needed placement or replacement, though any staff member could do so. The DON confirmed the importance of privacy for resident dignity during care and stated that nurses and CNAs were responsible for alerting housekeeping when curtains needed attention, with maintenance then hanging the curtains. She also stated there was no policy specifically addressing privacy curtains.
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