Failure to Ensure Private and Accessible Telephone Use for a Resident
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to ensure a cognitively intact, blind resident had reasonable access to and privacy in the use of telephones, as required by resident rights and the facility’s own policies. The resident, who had a BIMS score of 15 and had lived in the facility for about six years, reported that landline phones were removed from resident rooms approximately six months prior and that the facility would not allow installation of a private landline in his room, despite policy stating residents may have private telephone lines at their own expense. The resident stated he could not use a cell phone due to blindness and instead relied on a personal voice-controlled device to make calls, which required use of speaker mode and did not allow him to receive incoming calls, eliminating privacy. He also reported that a previously available portable phone was no longer working and not available for his use. Staff interviews showed inconsistent and inadequate practices for providing private phone access. CNAs and the receptionist/hospitality staff indicated that residents generally make and receive calls at the nurse’s station, and that staff either bring residents to the nurse’s station or transfer calls there. One CNA and the receptionist stated that portable phones were available for private calls, but the resident and family members reported that staff had said the cordless phone was no longer available or not working. Family members stated they previously called the resident daily but now could not directly reach him; instead, they encountered busy signals, unanswered calls, or had to leave messages so the resident could call them back using his voice-controlled device on speaker, without privacy. The administrator confirmed the facility had upgraded the phone system and that replacing in-room phone lines would require opening walls, but there was no indication that alternative arrangements ensured the resident’s right to private telephone use, contrary to the facility’s Resident Rights and Telephones policies.
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