Delayed Call Light Response for Dependent Resident
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure a resident’s call light was answered in a timely manner, resulting in a 31‑minute delay in response to a request for incontinence care. The resident involved had multiple significant diagnoses, including cerebral infarction with resulting hemiplegia and hemiparesis affecting the right dominant side, muscle wasting and atrophy, major depressive disorder, bilateral ankle contractures, vascular dementia, epilepsy, bilateral foot drop, and schizophrenia. The resident reported using the call light when needing a brief change or assistance and stated he was unable to get out of bed without help. He also stated that call light response times were very slow and varied depending on which staff were working. During observation at the bedside, the resident pressed the call light at 11:06 a.m., illuminating the light in the room and above the doorway. While the call light remained on, a staff member entered the room and assisted the roommate, and a housekeeper entered the room but did not address the active call light. The call light was not answered until 11:37 a.m., when the Treatment Nurse entered and responded, confirming that a 31‑minute wait was unacceptable and that all staff were responsible for answering call lights. The CNA assigned to the resident stated she had been on lunch break during this time and that all staff were responsible for answering call lights, which should be answered within five minutes. The housekeeper stated she cleans resident rooms and can answer call lights. The facility’s “Answering the Call Light” policy indicated that staff should ensure timely responses, notify appropriate staff if another person is needed, and complete tasks within five minutes if possible.
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