Failure to Provide Necessary Behavioral Health Services to Suicidal Resident
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to ensure a resident with significant behavioral health needs received necessary behavioral health care and services in accordance with her assessment and care plan. The resident was an older female with bipolar disorder, recurrent major depressive disorder with psychotic symptoms, vascular dementia with psychotic disturbance, anxiety disorder, and epilepsy. Her MDS showed a BIMS score of 14, indicating little to no cognitive impairment, and documented depressive symptoms several days in the prior two weeks. Her care plan identified depression related to a family member’s death, lack of closure, perceived lack of money, limited family visits, and feeling confined to her room, with signs including poor appetite, trouble sleeping at night, and sleeping in. The care plan also documented suicidal ideations and interventions such as listening, providing comfort, and communication to promote mental and psychological well-being, with the social worker identified as her mental health professional. The resident had a history of suicidal behavior and ideation while at the facility. Progress notes documented that on one occasion she wrapped a draw sheet around her neck, stated she wanted to die and join her deceased family member, and an order was obtained to keep a close eye on her every 15 minutes. On another occasion, she approached a nurse stating she was feeling suicidal, was looking for a bottle of pills to take, and did not care anymore; she also told police she would use a light bulb to cut herself, and she was transported to a hospital. The care plan reflected prior hospitalizations at behavioral health facilities, and interviews with the DON, Administrator, and family confirmed multiple inpatient behavioral health stays and a prior suicide attempt at the facility involving a bedsheet around her neck. Despite this history, record review of the electronic health record on the date of her death showed no evidence that she was receiving behavioral health services at the time of her suicide. In the period leading up to the fatal event, staff continued to observe depressive symptoms and suicidal ideations. A social worker note documented that the resident stated she wanted to die, felt she was a disappointment, did not want to do anything, and did not want to eat, though she denied a plan and said she would not harm herself; the physician was notified, and the resident had a private caregiver with her daily from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. An LVN reported that for months after the resident’s third behavioral health facility stay, the resident continued to express suicidal ideations, slept all day, and often said she was sad; the LVN stated she reported these ongoing suicidal ideations to the medical director and DON, but the resident was not sent back to a behavioral health center. The facility instead increased activities and relied on counseling by the social worker, although the social worker reported that for the last six months the resident refused to speak with her and was not seeing another therapist. On the day before the resident’s death, an LVN documented that the resident produced an unopened bottle of diphenhydramine (Benadryl) from her drawer, and the nurse locked it in the medication cabinet and administered a provider-ordered dose; the next morning the resident was found unresponsive with pink emesis and two diphenhydramine bottles at the bedside, one almost empty, and hospital records indicated concern for an intentional overdose. Interviews and record review confirmed that, at the time of this lethal ingestion, the resident was not receiving behavioral health services despite her ongoing suicidal ideations and documented history of depression and prior suicide attempts. The facility’s own suicide threats policy required immediate reporting of suicide threats to a licensed nurse, leadership, and campus dispatch, continuous staff presence with the resident until a licensed nurse or provider arrived, and interdisciplinary assessment and care plan revision after such incidents. While some prior suicidal episodes resulted in hospital transfers and temporary 1:1 sitters, the ongoing expressions of suicidal ideation over several months after the last behavioral health discharge were not accompanied by documented behavioral health services or further inpatient evaluation. Staff interviews revealed that personal sitters and CNAs were aware of the resident’s depression and sleep patterns but did not consistently report suicidal ideations to the social worker, who stated she was not informed of continued suicidal ideations. The combination of a known history of suicide attempts, repeated suicidal statements, refusal of counseling, and lack of active behavioral health services at the time of the event formed the basis of the deficiency, culminating in the resident’s ingestion of a lethal dose of diphenhydramine and subsequent death.
Removal Plan
- Staff initiated emergency response procedures when Resident #1 was found vomiting and convulsing with an almost empty bottle of Benadryl at bedside.
- Nursing staff completed a 100% room sweep of all skilled nursing residents' rooms to ensure no outside or unauthorized medications were present in residents' rooms.
- Send a communication to all family members of skilled nursing regarding the facility medication policy for outside medications and send monthly for the next three months.
- Add communication on the facility policy for outside medications to the admission packet for all new residents.
- Director of Nursing initiated interviews with all staff that cared for Resident #1 in the past week to confirm whether any signs or changes in resident mood or suicidal ideations were observed.
- Reinforce that suicide threats are to be taken seriously and immediately reported to the licensed nurse, clinical leaders, campus dispatch and/or administration.
- Staff must immediately report suicidal threats to the licensed nurse.
- The licensed nurse must immediately notify CC Leadership on Call and campus dispatch.
- Administration/nursing administration with the medical provider will determine appropriate interventions including potential 1:1 supervision and potential need for emergency/acute care evaluation/treatment.
- The interdisciplinary team will assess actions/expressions as soon as possible to determine needed interventions and revise care/service plans.
- Documentation must be recorded in the medical record and an incident report completed.
- Director of Nursing or designees will conduct wellness interviews of all interviewable residents using PHQ-9 questions #1, #2, and #9 to assess for immediate signs of depression, depression symptoms, and/or thoughts of self-harm.
- Residents with concerning responses will have appropriate interventions implemented immediately including provider notification and psychiatric referral.
Penalty
Resources
Below are regulatory guidelines relevant to this citation:
Failure to identify and monitor target behaviors for a resident with depression. A resident with major depressive disorder, spinal stenosis, and moderately severe depression was on antidepressant and antipsychotic medications, but the care plan, provider order, and TAR did not clearly identify specific behaviors to monitor. Staff documented behavior monitoring on the TAR, yet no target behaviors were identified in the record, and progress notes lacked evidence of any behaviors. During interview, the resident described feeling very depressed and losing interest in prior activities, while RN-A, the DON, and the CP all acknowledged the monitoring order did not clearly define what behaviors staff should be watching for.
A resident with major depressive disorder, depression symptoms, and suicidal thoughts did not receive continued behavioral health services as reflected in the record. Psychiatry notes documented loneliness, grief, poor sleep, low interest, and suicidal thoughts without plan or intent, and therapy was referred, but there were no later psychiatry notes, no scheduled therapy follow-up, and the care plan lacked non-pharmacological interventions. Staff also did not have the psychiatry information in the EMR, and the SSD and ADON were unaware of key mental health findings and documentation gaps.
Failure to provide recommended behavioral health follow-up for two residents. One resident with anxiety, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder, and another resident with anxiety and depression, both had care plans and psychiatric consults recommending therapy/LPC follow-up, but there was no documented evidence they received the ordered psychiatric or psychological services. The DON confirmed the missed follow-up services.
Failure to Address Wandering Resident Entering Another Resident’s Room: A resident with dementia and a known wandering pattern repeatedly entered another resident’s room after staff were told the other resident did not want him/her there. No additional behavior interventions were put in place at that time, and the wandering resident later entered the room again, was pushed out by the other resident, and sustained a facial fracture.
A resident with depression, dementia, Parkinson's disease, macular degeneration, and anxiety voiced suicidal statements and expressed loneliness and feeling trapped, but the EHR did not show a referral for behavioral health talk therapy. The DON was unaware of the statements, and the NP stated the resident should have been referred for behavioral health services after reporting self-harm thoughts.
Failure to Individualize and Revise Behavioral Health Interventions for Alcohol-Related Behaviors: Two residents with substance use and mental health histories continued to drink and display alcohol-related behaviors, including slurred speech, odor of alcohol, and repeated intoxication. One resident had dementia, anxiety, and depression; the other had TBI, depression, psychotic disorder, and substance use disorder. Despite existing care plan interventions, staff interviews and records showed ongoing alcohol use, limited monitoring of triggers and target behaviors, and a resident-to-resident altercation on the smoking patio that involved yelling, physical contact, and police response.
Failure to Identify and Monitor Target Behaviors for a Resident With Depression
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to identify and appropriately monitor target behaviors for one resident who was reviewed for mood and behavior. The resident had an admission MDS that identified intact cognition, moderately severe depression, no exhibited behaviors, and use of antidepressant medications. The resident’s diagnoses included major depressive disorder and spinal stenosis, and the care plan noted potential for adverse drug reactions related to daily psychotropic medication use. The care plan also identified alteration in mood and behavior related to diagnoses, adjustment to placement, and loss of independence, and instructed staff to monitor target behaviors and ADRs as ordered. The resident’s PHQ-9 assessment showed a score of 19, indicating moderately severe depression. Provider orders and the TAR directed staff to monitor target behaviors, but the specific behaviors were left blank, and the record did not identify any target behaviors for monitoring. The TAR was documented as completed on nearly every shift, with interventions documented on seven occasions, yet no target behaviors were identified and the progress notes from the review period lacked evidence of any behaviors occurring. During interview, the resident stated feeling very depressed, not liking reliance on others, and having lost interest in prior activities. RN-A stated staff should document observed behavior and interventions, but also said she was not really sure what she should be monitoring for the resident. The DON stated target behaviors should have been identified so staff knew what to watch for, and the CP stated the order failed to identify the specific medication or generic category and did not provide instruction for actual behavior monitoring.
Failure to Provide and Track Behavioral Health Services for Resident with Depression and Suicidal Thoughts
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure continued behavioral health services were provided for a resident with major depressive disorder, depression symptoms, and suicidal thoughts. The resident told surveyors she felt like giving up, had lost interest in activities, worried about finances, and had previously received counseling that she believed had helped, but she did not know why those counseling sessions stopped. Her record showed repeated PHQ-9 assessments with depression symptoms, including mild to moderately severe scores, and a psychiatry evaluation documented loneliness, grief, poor appetite and energy, daily anxiety, and suicidal thoughts without a plan or intent. The resident’s psychiatry notes showed that her antidepressant therapy was changed multiple times, a follow-up appointment was planned, and a referral was made for mental health therapy because the psychiatrist felt therapy would be beneficial. However, there were no psychiatry visit notes after the initial and follow-up visits reviewed, and the resident was not scheduled for the therapist referral or a psychiatry follow-up appointment. The care plan focused on antidepressant medication and monitoring for side effects and ongoing depression symptoms, but it did not identify any non-pharmacological interventions for depression. Staff interviews showed gaps in communication and documentation related to the resident’s mental health needs. The SSD stated she thought counseling had been offered, but there was no documentation that it was offered or declined, and she did not document her conversations with the resident. The ADON stated psychiatry notes were not in the EMR or reviewed before surveyor request, and she was unaware of the resident’s additional diagnoses, suicidal thoughts, PHQ-9 results showing moderately severe depression, or the therapy referral. The facility policy required assessment, individualized services, and consistent implementation of care approaches for residents with mental health issues.
Failure to Provide Recommended Behavioral Health Follow-Up
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to consistently provide necessary behavioral health services to meet the behavioral health needs of two residents. The facility’s Behavioral Health Services policy stated that residents should receive necessary behavioral health services to help them reach and maintain their highest level of mental and psychosocial functioning. Resident 8 was admitted with anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder, and a June 2026 MDS showed the resident was cognitively intact with a BIMS score of 15. The care plan identified risk for mood changes related to major depressive disorder, anxiety, and adjustment disorder, with psychiatric consult and treatment as ordered. A psychiatric consultant recommended therapy services for anxiety and depression with follow-up in 45 to 60 days, and an LPC later documented a follow-up talk therapy session and recommended another follow-up, but there was no documented evidence that the resident received the recommended psychiatric or psychological follow-up services by the end of the survey. Resident 61 was admitted with anxiety disorder and depression, and a quarterly MDS showed moderately impaired cognition with a BIMS score of 9. The care plan identified risk for mood changes related to depression and episodes of anxiety, with psychological consultation and treatment and LPC consultation as needed. A psychiatric consultant recommended therapy services for anxiety, depression, insomnia, and dementia with follow-up in 14 to 21 days, and an LPC documented a follow-up talk therapy session and recommended another follow-up, but there was no documented evidence that the resident received the recommended psychiatric or psychological follow-up services by the end of the survey. During an interview, the DON confirmed that both residents did not receive the recommended follow-up psychiatric and psychological services.
Failure to Address Wandering Resident Entering Another Resident’s Room
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to timely assess a behavior change and timely implement additional behavior interventions for a resident with a history of wandering. The resident had diagnoses of unspecified dementia, mood disorder, and adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety, and the annual MDS showed moderately impaired cognitive skills with long- and short-term memory problems. The resident’s care plan identified wandering into other residents’ rooms and noted the resident was at risk for elopement, with interventions including checking code alert placement each shift and consulting with the MD and psychologist as needed. On 04/15/2025, another resident with dementia and mood disturbance told the SSD and ADON that the wandering resident had come into his/her room and that he/she did not want the resident in the room. The SSD documented that the resident wanted to be left alone and that staff said they would discuss it with the other resident and tell him/her not to come into the room. The record did not show that interventions were added that day to prevent the wandering resident from entering the other resident’s room. On 04/16/2025, the wandering resident entered the other resident’s room again, and the other resident pushed the wandering resident out of the room, causing a fall and a fracture to the left maxillary sinus wall and lateral border of the left orbit. Interviews with staff showed the wandering resident had been observed going into the other resident’s room multiple times, staff had been notified, and the DON stated the resident was on general supervision with a code alert monitor. The DON also stated the incident could have been prevented by moving the wandering resident, and the facility substantiated abuse.
Failure to Refer Resident for Behavioral Health Services After Self-Harm Statements
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure a resident with major depressive disorder, Parkinson's disease, macular degeneration, Alzheimer's disease, and anxiety disorder received necessary behavioral health care after he exhibited worsening emotional distress and voiced self-harm statements. The resident's care plan documented fluctuating mood symptoms related to sadness, depression, changes in relationships, and personal loss, and directed staff to refer him to behavioral health as needed. A change-in-condition note documented that the resident was crying in his room and stated that he wanted to die because he had no friends, could not leave the facility, and felt like he was in a prison; the provider was notified. However, the electronic health record did not show a referral to behavioral health services for talk therapy after these statements, and there were no physician orders or communication indicating such a referral. The DON stated she was not aware of the resident's statements, and the NP stated that a behavioral health talk-therapy referral should have been made after the resident's statements, but it did not occur.
Failure to Individualize and Revise Behavioral Health Interventions for Alcohol-Related Behaviors
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to develop, implement, monitor, and revise individualized behavioral health interventions for two residents with alcohol-related behaviors. One resident had diagnoses including non-Alzheimer's dementia, anxiety, and depression, was independent with his wheelchair and most ADLs, and had care plan focuses addressing substance abuse, antidepressant medication, and community life. His record showed a history of suicidal ideations, sadness, low self-esteem, withdrawal, ineffective coping, loneliness, alcohol use, and occasional cocaine use. Although multiple interventions were listed, including discussion of treatment options, observation for behavior patterns and triggers, room checks for smoking, encouragement of activities, and supervision of peer interactions, the record also showed ongoing alcohol use with repeated notes of slurred speech and strong odor of alcohol, including episodes where medications were held and fall precautions were used. The second resident had traumatic brain injury, malnutrition, depression, and psychotic disorder, and used antipsychotic and antidepressant medication. His care plan addressed substance use disorder, mood, and antipsychotic medication, and noted a history of alcohol dependence, stimulant dependence, and cocaine dependence. Interventions included coping skills education, non-pharmacological interventions, discussion of treatment options, and monitoring of mood and alcohol-related behavior. Despite this, the resident continued to have alcohol-related incidents, including intoxication, slurred speech, altercations, and repeated behavioral concerns. The record also showed that staff were not aware of resident-specific care plan interventions regarding intoxication management, and the facility representatives later stated there were no activity recommendations or care plan changes after the incident. On the smoking patio, the two residents were drinking together and became involved in an altercation that drew police involvement. Witnesses and staff described the first resident as intoxicated, loud, belligerent, and aggressive, with repeated requests for cigarettes, while the second resident was also drinking and was involved in the confrontation. Accounts differed on the exact sequence, but the incident involved yelling, physical contact, and a cane being used. Staff interviews showed that some staff did not intervene, some were unaware of the incident in real time, and the overnight nurse was helping elsewhere when the police arrived. The facility later reviewed the event and noted that the residents had been educated about respecting each other and not sharing cigarettes, but the records reviewed showed no individualized behavioral health plan revisions tied to the ongoing alcohol-related behaviors and the resident-to-resident altercation.
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