Cold Meal Areas and Worn Bedrail Pads
Summary
The facility failed to provide a homelike environment on three resident units by allowing sitting room temperatures to remain too cold during meals. On the East Two, [NAME] One, and [NAME] Two units, heating units in the sitting rooms were reported as broken for months, and the facility did not have a thermostat in the East Two sitting room. During environmental rounds, the surveyor observed the East Two sitting room to be cold, with two heating units not operating and cold to the touch, one unit in disrepair with missing knobs and a baseboard fallen off and placed on the floor with towels underneath. The surveyor also felt cold air blowing through one of the broken heating units. Resident #41, who was cognitively intact with a BIMS score of 15, stated that the East Two sitting room was too cold to eat meals in and that the heating unit had been broken since the prior summer. The resident said meals with other residents in the sitting room were enjoyable but often required extra layers of clothing to eat there comfortably. Resident #69, who had moderate cognitive impairment with a BIMS score of 12, also stated that the East Two sitting room was cold and that the resident did not want to eat meals there because of the temperature. A nurse stated that the heat in the East Two sitting room had not been working for months and was preventing residents from eating or socializing there as often as they would like. The maintenance director confirmed that the heating units in the sitting rooms on East Two, [NAME] Two, and [NAME] One had been broken for months and that the temperatures should be above 71 degrees, but he had not been monitoring the temperatures or completing audits regarding the broken heating units. The facility also failed to ensure that Resident #71 had safe and sanitary side rail pads. Resident #71 was admitted with diagnoses including seizures and muscle weakness and was cognitively intact with a BIMS score of 14. The resident required substantial to maximal assistance for rolling and was dependent for personal hygiene and upper and lower body dressing. Surveyors observed padded side rail attachments on both sides of the bed, but the protective black covering was worn away on approximately 80% of the pads, exposing white fabric that was stained with brown and pink substances. The resident stated that the pads were used so the resident would not hit his/her head on the bedrails and said no one had offered to replace them or clean them. On later observation, the same bedrail pads remained worn, stained, and exposed, with a rough edge at the top seam of the left pad. The resident said the pads bothered him/her and were dirty and gross, and that the worn and stained condition had been present for a long time. Staff members stated the pads were screwed into place, could not be removed for cleaning, and were old, stained, and missing the original cover. The infection preventionist, director of nursing, and maintenance director all observed the pads and stated they were not properly disinfectable, were a concern, and were not homelike or safe in their worn condition.
Penalty
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