Failure to Notify Physician and Family During Resident’s Acute Respiratory Decline
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to immediately consult with a resident’s physician and notify the resident’s representative when there was a significant change in the resident’s condition. Facility policy required the nurse supervisor or charge nurse to notify the attending or on-call physician for any significant change in a resident’s physical, emotional, or mental condition, or when a transfer to a hospital was needed, and to inform the resident’s family or designated representative of such changes. Resident #11 had diagnoses including respiratory failure, obstructive sleep apnea, and hypertension, and had an order for 4 liters of oxygen via nasal cannula every shift. The resident was documented as cognitively intact and able to make themselves understood. On the night of the incident, progress notes documented that around 1:00 AM the resident was resting comfortably with no signs of acute distress and remained stable and responsive through the night until approximately 5:00 AM. At that time, the resident was found with labored respirations and minimally responsive to verbal stimuli, with an oxygen saturation of 40% on 4 liters via nasal cannula. The supervisor was notified and changed the nasal cannula to an oxygen mask. Multiple pulse oximeters were used, showing readings of 42%, 43%, and 26%, and the resident’s labored breathing continued. Oxygen therapy was escalated to 10 liters via non-rebreather mask using a portable oxygen tank without a physician order. Despite these significant changes in respiratory status and very low oxygen saturation levels, there was no documented evidence that the medical provider was notified at the time of the change. Emergency Medical Services were not called until approximately 6:00 AM, after the resident’s condition had further deteriorated. Upon EMS arrival, the resident became unresponsive and was transported to the hospital, where emergency department documentation described the resident as responding only to pain, in respiratory distress with agonal breathing, and on high-flow oxygen. The resident was later pronounced deceased due to respiratory arrest. Interviews with staff revealed that the nursing supervisor on duty acknowledged not calling the nurse practitioner, delaying calling 911 while attempting to manage the resident’s oxygen levels, and forgetting to call the family. Other nursing staff described a protocol in which significant changes in condition, especially oxygen saturations in the 40% range or respiratory distress, should prompt immediate notification of a supervisor, provider, and/or 911. The resident’s health care proxy stated they did not receive any calls from the facility about the change in condition or the transfer to the hospital. The Director of Nursing and Medical Director both stated that the provider should have been called and that failure to call the provider or 911 immediately constituted a delay in treatment. The surveyors determined that the facility failed to follow its own Change in Resident Condition policy by not immediately consulting the physician when Resident #11 experienced a significant change in respiratory status, and by not notifying the resident’s family or representative. This failure occurred despite multiple extremely low oxygen saturation readings, labored breathing, and decreased responsiveness, and despite staff recognition in interviews that such findings represented an urgent or emergent situation requiring provider notification and/or calling 911. The lack of timely physician consultation and family notification, combined with delayed activation of EMS, formed the basis of the cited deficiency and was determined to have resulted in Immediate Jeopardy to the resident and placed other residents with potential significant respiratory changes at risk for serious harm, serious impairment, serious injury, or death.
Removal Plan
- All residents on oxygen had a pulse oximetry reading completed and any results deviating from the resident's baseline had a registered nurse assessment and physician notification via telephone.
- Education for licensed nursing staff was implemented on the Change in Resident Condition Policy requiring documented physician notification via telephone for all significant changes in resident condition.
- All oncoming licensed nursing staff would be educated on the Change in Condition Policy.
- Licensed nursing staff were educated on the Change in Condition Policy.
Penalty
Resources
Below are regulatory guidelines relevant to this citation:
Failure to Notify MD of Worsening Wound: A resident with multiple comorbidities and a pressure injury had a right gluteal abrasion that progressively worsened from an open wound to a stage IV ulcer with drainage, odor, slough, and exposed tissue. Staff documented the decline in skin assessments and notes, but there was no reproducible evidence that the MD was notified when the wound first deteriorated. The wound later became infected and required hospital transfer for surgical debridement.
A resident with severe cognitive impairment and a history of falls, weakness, malnutrition, and difficulty walking was found on the floor and later developed persistent right hip, thigh, and RLE pain with inability to bear weight. PT and OT notes documented worsening pain and limited mobility, but progress notes did not show notification to the MD or NP. The resident was later sent to the hospital, where imaging showed a displaced right femoral neck fracture.
Failure to notify legal representative of significant change in condition: A resident with dysphagia, CKD, and moderate cognitive impairment had a vasovagal episode in the shower and later vomited, but the family was not immediately informed. Staff notified the PA and monitored the resident, yet the legal representative said the first notice from the facility was after the resident had died. The facility policy required notification of the resident or legal representative for significant changes such as vomiting or vital sign changes.
Failure to Notify Provider of Elevated Heart Rate: A resident with CVA, HTN, atherosclerotic heart disease, and inappropriate sinus tachycardia had a documented HR of 122 bpm after prior readings were consistently lower, but the record did not show that the MD or NP was notified. The unit manager and NP both stated they would expect notification of the abnormal HR and further assessment of the resident's status.
A resident had an unwitnessed fall, but the physician and resident representative were not notified until the next morning. The facility’s policy required prompt assessment and notification after a fall, and the resident had capacity to understand and make decisions. An LVN said the delay occurred because the resident did not show a change in condition, while an RN stated the nurse should have notified the physician and representative immediately after assessing the resident.
A facility failed to notify family representatives about missed morning medications for eight residents. MARs showed blank administration entries for the medication pass, and Progress Notes did not document family notification. Interviews with family members and the POA confirmed they were not told about the medication omissions, while the DON stated notifying families of medication errors is standard practice and should be documented.
Failure to Notify Physician of Worsening Pressure Ulcer
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to notify the physician when a resident’s right gluteal wound deteriorated. The resident was admitted with diagnoses including major depressive disorder, atrial fibrillation, obesity, osteoarthritis, and a pressure ulcer of the left heel, and was cognitively intact with a BIMS score of 15. The resident required substantial to maximal assistance with bed mobility and was dependent on staff for transfers. The care plan and MDS documented pressure injury risk, pressure-reducing devices, turning and repositioning, weekly skin assessments, and reporting abnormal findings to the PCP. The resident’s right gluteal abrasion was first identified after a hospital return and was treated with ordered wound care. The wound then worsened over time, with skin issue reports documenting deterioration, increasing size, non-healing tissue, pain, drainage, odor, slough, and exposed adipose tissue. A nurse note on 3/23 documented increased drainage, slough, foul odor, exposed adipose tissue, and that the resident needed to see a doctor and may need antibiotics, but the facility could not provide reproducible evidence that the physician was notified or what the physician ordered in response. Staff statements reflected that notes were placed for the physician to see, but documentation of actual notification was not available. The wound continued to decline after the 3/23 note, with later reports showing worsening odor, purulent drainage, bleeding, and rapid enlargement. The wound nurse practitioner later documented that the wound had significantly deteriorated and required debridement, and the resident was ultimately hospitalized for surgical debridement. Hospital records documented a stage IV pressure ulcer with infection and sepsis/shock, and the wound culture grew multiple organisms. The survey findings also included staff and physician interviews indicating that the physician had no documentation of notification during the period when the wound was worsening and that earlier notification could have allowed more aggressive treatment.
Failure to Notify Provider of New Right Hip Pain and Inability to Bear Weight
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to follow its policy for notification of a change in resident condition by not notifying the physician and/or nurse practitioner when a resident developed new right lower extremity pain and inability to bear weight. The resident had a history that included weakness, unspecified fall, hypotension, severe protein calorie malnutrition, major depressive disorder, cognitive communication deficit, metabolic encephalopathy, and difficulty walking, and had a BIMS score of 4/15 indicating severe impairment. After the resident was found on the floor on the right side next to the bed with lacerations, redness to both knees, a laceration to the right ankle, and redness to the right hip, the resident initially denied pain. Subsequent PT and OT documentation repeatedly recorded pain in the right hip, thigh, and right lower extremity, with pain increasing with movement, sitting, standing, bending, and weight bearing. PT notes documented that the resident required walker support, took only a few small steps with max assist due to pain, later became unable to ambulate because of severe right lower extremity pain, and was unable to put weight on the leg and had difficulty standing. OT notes also documented aching right lower extremity pain that limited lower body ADLs and functional mobility tasks. The progress notes did not document notification to the doctor or nurse practitioner about the pain or the changes in the resident's right lower extremity. When the resident was later sent to the hospital at the family’s request, the nurse practitioner and ADON were made aware, and the resident was transported by ambulance. The hospital record documented right hip pain, tenderness to palpation and with range of motion of the right hip, and x-ray findings of a superolateral displaced right femoral neck fracture. The hospital history noted the resident may have fallen two weeks earlier, and the daughter reported the last time she saw the resident walking was four weeks earlier. Staff interviews indicated the APRN and NP were not notified of the pain or inability to bear weight, and both stated they would have assessed the resident and likely ordered an x-ray if they had been informed.
Failure to Notify Legal Representative of Significant Change in Condition
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to immediately notify the resident's legal representative of a significant change in condition for one resident reviewed for notification of changes. The resident was admitted with pneumonitis due to inhalation of food and vomit, dysphagia, and stage 3 chronic kidney disease. The Minimum Data Set dated 05/06/2026 documented that the resident could sometimes be understood, could sometimes understand others, and had moderate cognitive impairment. On 05/14/2026, the resident experienced a vasovagal episode while in the shower and later had episodes of vomiting, including brown-colored emesis. Progress notes documented that staff notified the PA of the resident's condition, assessed the resident, and monitored vital signs. The facility policy titled Notification Policy required the attending physician or designee and the resident or resident's legal representative or interested family member to be notified by the nurse of a significant change in condition, including vomiting, change in mentation, change in vital signs, or respiratory distress. There was no documented evidence that Family Member #2 was immediately notified of the vasovagal episode or the vomiting. Family Member #2 stated they were not informed of these events and first learned from the facility when told the resident had passed away at 12:07 PM. Staff interviews confirmed that family notification was expected for significant changes, and the PA stated they were contacted about the vasovagal episode, the vomiting, and later the resident's death.
Failure to Notify Provider of Elevated Heart Rate
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to notify the resident's physician or nurse practitioner when the resident had a change in vital signs that could have required physician intervention. Resident #2 was admitted in January 2026 with diagnoses including cerebral infarction, hypertension, atherosclerotic heart disease, and inappropriate sinus tachycardia. Review of the resident's heart rates from January 2026 through 3/4/26 showed rates ranging from 57 to 89 beats per minute, with no documented heart rate over 100 beats per minute during that period. On 3/5/26 at 9:00 AM, the resident's March 2026 MAR documented a heart rate of 122 beats per minute. The medical record did not show that the physician or NP was notified of this increase. During interview, the unit manager stated she would expect the physician to be notified because the rate was far outside the resident's usual range and said she would notify the doctor and recheck the heart rate after medication. The NP stated he would expect to be notified about a heart rate of 122 because he would want to know whether the resident was symptomatic, whether the respiratory rate was elevated, or whether other issues such as sepsis, pain, or positioning were contributing.
Delayed Notification After Resident Fall
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to notify Resident 4’s physician and resident representative of an unwitnessed fall in a timely manner. The facility’s Fall Prevention and Response policy stated that after a fall, a licensed nurse shall promptly respond, assess the resident, and notify the physician and resident representative. Resident 4 was admitted to the facility and had an H&P showing the resident had the capacity to understand and make decisions. Resident 4’s SBAR Fall Report documented a fall on 5/3/26 at 2330 hours, but the physician and resident representative were not notified until 5/4/26 at 0744 hours. LVN 1 stated the resident was monitored closely after the fall and that notification was delayed until the following morning because the resident did not exhibit a change in condition. RN 1 verified the fall occurred and stated the licensed nurse should notify the physician and resident representative immediately after assessing the resident rather than waiting until the next morning. The DON was informed and acknowledged the findings.
Failure to Notify Families of Missed Morning Medications
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to notify resident family representatives of missed administration of significant morning medications for eight residents. Review of the Medication Administration Records for R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, and R8 showed blank boxes without nurses’ initials to indicate the medications were administered on 5/10/26 during morning medication pass. The residents’ Progress Notes did not document that family representatives were notified of the medication omission errors. Interviews confirmed the lack of notification. On 5/21/26, R8’s POA stated the facility did not notify her that R8 missed medications on Mother’s Day. On the same day, R1’s family member stated she was not contacted about the missed medications, and R2’s family member stated no one called or told him there were problems with his father receiving medications. The Interim DON stated it is standard practice for family representatives to be notified of medication errors, that floor nurses are expected to contact families, and that the notification should be documented in the resident’s medical record. The facility policy on Physician-Family Notification-Change in Condition states the facility will inform the resident, consult the physician or authorized designee, and if known, notify the legal representative or interested family member.
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