Insufficient Mechanical Lift Batteries Delaying Resident Transfers
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain enough working batteries for mechanical lifts, resulting in delays and difficulties in transferring residents who required full-body lift assistance. One resident, who was in bed with a mechanical lift sling underneath him, reported that a CNA told him the mechanical lift did not work and that she would inform therapy. The resident stated he was supposed to get up and needed to be at dialysis at 11:00 AM. Later that morning, two CNAs entered the room with a mechanical lift and transferred the resident from bed to wheelchair. The resident’s face sheet documented end stage renal disease, dependence on renal dialysis, congenital complete absence of the left lower limb, and other conditions, and his care plan specified that he required a Hoyer lift for transfers between two surfaces. Multiple CNAs reported that there were not enough batteries available for the mechanical lifts. One CNA stated another CNA had to go upstairs to get a battery because the lift battery was dead and further stated that the lifts were not broken, but the facility did not have enough batteries. Another CNA reported that most of the time there were only one or two batteries available and that, a couple of weeks prior, no one could find a battery and there were only one or two batteries for all the halls to share. The Administrator confirmed the facility had 14 mechanical lifts and 12 batteries, with 2 of the 12 batteries needing fuses, and acknowledged there was no specific policy for maintenance of equipment, though she expected the facility to follow manufacturer guidelines.
We Help Long-Term Care Teams Stay Survey-Ready
We process and analyze inspection reports and plan of correction using AI to extract insights and trends so providers can improve care quality and stay ahead of compliance risks.