Failure to Discontinue Inactive Oxygen and Hospice-Related Provider Orders
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain organized and updated physician orders that reflected residents’ current needs by not discontinuing inactive or outdated orders for two residents. For one resident who was observed on two occasions receiving oxygen via nasal cannula at 1.5 L/min, the active provider orders still listed three separate oxygen orders, all written at 2 L/min: oxygen at 2 L/min PRN to maintain oxygen saturation at 90%, oxygen at 2 L/min PRN for shortness of breath with documentation of O2 saturations and start/stop times, and oxygen at 2 L/min continuous every shift for shortness of breath. These multiple active orders did not match the observed oxygen flow rate being delivered. For another resident, interview with the resident’s representative and record review showed the resident had been discharged from hospice services, with a social services note documenting hospice discharge and a hospice care plan that had been resolved. Despite this, the active provider orders still contained two hospice-related orders: a referral to a named hospice and a referral to the same entity for evaluation and treatment for palliative care for pain management. On review, the Regional Director of Clinical Operations confirmed that these outdated hospice-related orders and multiple oxygen orders remained active in the medical record.
