Failure to Maintain Accurate and Accessible Advance Directives and Code Status Orders
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to ensure that valid, consistent, and readily accessible advance directives and medical orders were in place and accurately reflected for multiple residents, resulting in conflicting code status information and missing documentation. For one resident with diagnoses including malignant neoplasm of the prostate, acute kidney failure, hypothyroidism, glaucoma, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and muscle weakness, a POLST form documented a choice of no CPR and selective treatment to avoid intensive care and resuscitation efforts. Despite this, an active order in the clinical record listed the resident as full code, and staff were unable to locate the required prehospital medical care directive (orange advance directive form) in either the electronic health record or the nursing station binder at the time of review. The DON later acknowledged that staff were expected to follow the most recent POLST indicating DNR, but this conflicted with the active full code order and the absence of the required orange directive form. Another resident, with a complex medical history including traumatic brain injury, hypertension, GERD, tremor, long-term anticoagulant and insulin use, schizoaffective disorder, Guillain-Barré syndrome, generalized anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, dementia with behavioral disturbance, neoplasm, protein-calorie malnutrition, dyspnea, and type 2 diabetes with polyneuropathy, had an order indicating DNR and no feeding tube. An Advance Directive Statement Form documented that this resident did not want CPR or defibrillation in the event of cardiac arrest, did not want a feeding tube, did want IV hydration, wanted adequate pain medication even if it risked depressing respiration, wanted transfer to the hospital if their condition became terminal or irreversible, and would accept blood transfusions but not mechanical ventilation. However, the resident’s care plan initially contained no focus or interventions related to advance directives after admission, and only later was revised to state that the resident had an advance directive for CPR, do not shock, and DNI. A POLST completed later documented “Yes, CPR, attempt resuscitation” and stated that no advance directive existed, directly conflicting with the previously completed Advance Directive Statement Form. Staff interviews further demonstrated inconsistent understanding and implementation of the facility’s advance directive process. Nursing staff reported that code status information should be available in the electronic chart and in a code status book at each nursing station, and that changes in code status should be reflected in both locations. One LPN stated that if an advance directive was incorrect, staff could go against the resident’s wishes, and a CNA reported that if forms and lists did not match the health record, they would proceed with full code until the correct status was confirmed, even though this could result in care against the resident’s wishes. The ADON and DON described a process requiring both a correctly completed POLST and a prehospital medical care directive on orange paper for DNR/DNI status, in accordance with state law and facility policy, and acknowledged that incomplete, conflicting, or inaccessible documents could lead to treatment being performed against a resident’s wishes. The facility’s own policy required review and updating of advance directives at admission, quarterly, and with changes in condition, and required social services to ensure copies were in the medical record with corresponding physician orders, but these expectations were not met for the residents reviewed. Additional findings showed that for another resident, staff could not locate any advance directive or POLST in the electronic record or nursing station binder, despite an active order indicating DNI and do not shock status. The DON confirmed that, given this active order, both a POLST and an orange prehospital medical care directive should have been completed and present in the record, but they were not. The state prehospital medical care directive requirements specified that the DNR document must be on orange paper, signed by the patient, health care provider, and a witness or notary, and displayed visibly for first responders, yet such a valid document was not consistently available for the residents in question. Overall, the facility did not follow its own policy and state requirements to ensure that advance directives and related medical orders were accurately completed, consistently documented, and readily accessible, leading to conflicting and incomplete information regarding residents’ code status and treatment preferences.
Penalty
Resources
Below are regulatory guidelines relevant to this citation:
Advance Directive Not Maintained in Resident Record: A resident with dementia, muscle weakness, and protein-calorie malnutrition had documentation indicating an advance directive was in the chart, but record review did not locate a living will or DPOA for health care. The CNO confirmed the record did not include an advance directive and the facility did not have a living will on file.
Incomplete Advance Directive Documentation: The facility failed to keep complete and accurate advance directive records for two residents. One resident's chart contained a representative-signed acknowledgement that did not specify the type of advance directive, and another resident's record had no signed acknowledgement showing that advance directives were discussed. The SSD stated she was responsible for the documentation and that one form was filled out incorrectly while the other resident's paperwork could not be found.
The facility failed to timely respond to changes in condition for two residents, including one with severe cognitive impairment and another with dementia, CHF, diabetes, and a history of UTIs. Family members and DPOAs reported concerns about confusion, agitation, pain, SOB, and other worsening symptoms, but hospital evaluation was delayed while staff waited for physician input. Both residents were later admitted to the hospital with serious infections and other acute conditions, including sepsis, pneumonia, and respiratory failure.
A facility failed to ensure that active physician orders matched residents’ POLST code status for three residents. One resident with COPD, A-Fib, and anxiety had a POLST indicating DNR but no active code status order; another resident with dementia, hypothyroidism, and HTN had a POLST indicating DNR but a physician order for CPR; and a third resident with COPD, respiratory failure, and diabetes had a POLST indicating DNR but no active code status order. The DON confirmed the records were inconsistent and that physician orders and POLST should match.
A resident with dementia with agitation, stroke, and PE had an advanced directive noted in a care conference review, but the document could not be found in the medical record. Staff later confirmed the resident did not have an advance directive on file.
Failure to offer a resident the opportunity to create an advance directive. Record review showed the resident had no advance directive on file, and the SS Director stated there was no documentation that education was provided or that any attempts were made to obtain one. The resident had HTN, CKD, and mild cognitive impairment.
Advance Directive Not Maintained in Resident Record
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that a copy of a resident's advance directive was maintained in the medical record for Resident #32, who was admitted with multiple diagnoses including dementia, muscle weakness, and protein-calorie malnutrition. The resident's care plan, revised 5/12/22, documented that the resident and appointed healthcare representative were to receive education regarding advance directives as needed, and a care conference evaluation dated 6/26/26 documented that the resident had an advance directive in the record. However, on 7/8/26, review of the medical record did not locate a living will or durable power of attorney for health care, and the CNO later confirmed that the record did not include an advance directive and the facility did not have a living will on file.
Incomplete Advance Directive Documentation
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure documentation regarding advance directives was complete and accurate for 2 of 7 residents reviewed. A policy titled "Advance Directives and Refusal of Treatment" stated that upon admission the Social Services Designee should obtain a copy of any existing Living Will, Health Care Proxy, Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care Decisions, or other recorded declaration and enter a progress note regarding the existence of an advance directive. Resident #7 was admitted with diagnoses including hemiplegia and hemiparesis following a nontraumatic intracerebral hemorrhage affecting the right dominant side. The record contained a "Resident Rights & Advance Directive Acknowledgement" signed by the resident's representative that indicated the resident had an advance directive, but the form did not identify the type of advance directive. Resident #81 was admitted with end stage renal disease, and the medical record contained no signed acknowledgement showing that advance directives were discussed with the resident or representative. The Social Services Director stated she was responsible for advance directive documentation, that the form for Resident #7 was filled out incorrectly and should have been corrected, and that the missing paperwork for Resident #81 meant the facility would not know whether the resident had an advance directive.
Delayed Response to Changes in Condition and Family Requests for Hospital Evaluation
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to timely provide requested medical evaluation and treatment for two residents with changes in condition. The deficiency was identified during review of Complaint #3035494 and involved delayed responses to worsening symptoms, resulting in delayed medical treatment, worsening of condition, and dissatisfaction with care. For one resident with diagnoses including Alzheimer's disease and other medically complex conditions, the record showed severely impaired cognition and inability to make decisions. A family member reported that the resident had a decline in health about a week before hospitalization, with severe UTI and stool impaction. The hospital record documented that the resident arrived from the nursing home via EMS with confusion and altered mental status that had worsened since several days earlier, and the ED physician suspected sepsis. The resident was febrile, tachycardic, had elevated white blood cell count and creatinine, and was diagnosed with proctitis, cystitis, sepsis, NSTEMI, and acute kidney injury. The urine culture was positive for gram-negative rods/Pseudomonas aeruginosa. For another resident with diagnoses including diabetes mellitus, a history of UTIs, CHF, Alzheimer's disease, and dementia, the progress notes showed family concerns about abnormal behavior, confusion, agitation, shortness of breath, congestion, lethargy, and shallow breathing. The resident's DPOA reported repeatedly expressing concern that something was wrong and requesting hospital evaluation, but the facility did not immediately send the resident out and instead contacted the physician first. The change-in-condition documentation noted altered mental status and respiratory symptoms, and the physician initially recommended a nebulizer treatment before later directing transfer to the ED. The resident was admitted to the hospital with bilateral pneumonia, acute hypoxic respiratory failure, likely demand ischemia, chronic diastolic CHF, fluid overload, severe anemia, and human metapneumovirus infection.
Physician Orders Did Not Match POLST Code Status
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that active physician orders reflected residents’ end-of-life wishes as documented on their Pennsylvania POLST forms for three residents. Facility policy stated that residents are presumed to consent to CPR unless there is documentation in the medical record showing a DNR order, and that all DNR orders must be rewritten by the attending physician for each admission or readmission. Review of the clinical records showed that Resident R14 had diagnoses including COPD, A-Fib, and anxiety, and had a POLST indicating DNR, but the current physician orders lacked evidence of code status. Resident R38 had diagnoses including dementia, hypothyroidism, and high blood pressure, and had a POLST indicating DNR; however, a physician order dated in the record indicated CPR, creating inconsistency between the POLST and the physician orders. Resident R50 had diagnoses including COPD, respiratory failure, and diabetes, and had a POLST indicating DNR, but current physician orders also lacked evidence of code status. During interviews, the DON confirmed that Resident R14’s record lacked active physician orders reflecting code status and that Resident R38’s physician orders and POLST were not consistent, and further confirmed that resident physician orders and POLST should match regardless of the POLST.
Advance Directive Not Available in Resident Record
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure a resident exercised the right to formulate an Advance Directive. Review of the State Operations Manual, record review, and staff interview showed that Resident #5 had an advanced directive documented on a Care Conference Review Comprehensive dated 4/3/26, but the document could not be located in the medical record. Resident #5 was admitted and later readmitted to the facility with diagnoses including dementia with agitation, stroke, and pulmonary embolism. On 6/26/26 at 9:48 AM, a request was made for a copy of Resident #5's advanced directive. Later that day at 11:19 AM, the CEO confirmed that Resident #5 did not have an advanced directive on file. The report states that this deficiency involved 1 of 5 residents whose records were reviewed.
Failure to Offer Advance Directive Opportunity
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure residents were offered the opportunity to create an advance directive for Resident #13, who was re-admitted with multiple diagnoses including hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and mild cognitive impairment. Record review on 6/24/26 showed that Resident #13 did not have an advance directive on file. On 6/25/26 at 2:43 PM, the Social Service Director stated there was no documentation that education was provided to Resident #13 and no attempts were made to obtain an advance directive.
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