Failure to Maintain Appropriate Toenail Care Between Podiatry Visits
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide adequate foot care for one resident when staff allowed a toenail to become overgrown between podiatry visits. The resident, who had multiple diagnoses including metabolic encephalopathy, chronic kidney disease, generalized muscle weakness, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and a history of repeated falls, was observed during wound care to the right ankle, at which time an LPN removed the resident’s sock and revealed an overgrown right great toenail that was curving slightly toward the second toe. Record review showed the resident had been admitted with these conditions, and interview with the LPN confirmed that quarterly podiatry appointments are made for nail care and that CNAs, nurses, or providers are expected to trim nails between podiatry visits; the LPN also confirmed the resident’s next podiatry appointment was scheduled for a later date. In a separate interview, the DON stated that CNAs, nurses, or providers should ensure nails do not become overgrown and acknowledged that the condition of this resident’s toenail did not meet her expectations.
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.