Failure to Implement Individualized Nutrition Care Plans and Required Weight Monitoring
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to implement and maintain individualized, comprehensive nutrition plans and appropriate weight monitoring for two residents, in accordance with its own weight assessment policy. For one resident with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and intermittent explosive disorder, the admission orders included a regular diet with Med Pass supplement and the care plan identified risk for malnutrition due to diagnoses, depression, and supplement use. However, the care plan was not revised or individualized to address subsequent weight loss. Weight records showed a decline from 121.2 lbs on admission to 110 lbs over several weeks, and weekly weights were not obtained as required during the first four weeks after admission. The registered dietician documented a significant 8% one‑month weight loss and ordered a change in the Med Pass supplement regimen and continued weight monitoring per physician order. Despite this, the original Med Pass order was not discontinued until 11 days later, and the new Med Pass order was not entered into the system or reflected on the MAR until that same later date. Interviews with the RD, the regional director of operations, and the DON confirmed that weights were not taken on admission and weekly for four weeks as required, that weights were not monitored weekly after the significant weight change, that the supplement order change from 01/19/26 was not entered until 01/30/26, and that the nutrition care plan was not updated to reflect the resident’s weight loss. For another resident with cerebral infarction, schizophrenia, and psychoactive substance abuse, the care plan did not include any plan for weight loss. Weight records showed an admission weight of 164 lbs, followed by weights of 166 lbs, 156 lbs, and 154 lbs, and the resident’s weight was not taken at admission or weekly for four weeks as required by policy. The RD later documented a significant 7% one‑month weight change and ordered changes to tube feeding (Jevity 1.5) and continued nutrition monitoring with weights per physician order. However, interviews confirmed that required admission and weekly weights were not obtained, that weekly weights were not taken after the significant weight loss, and that there was no care plan addressing the resident’s weight loss, contrary to the facility’s policy requiring multidisciplinary, individualized care plans for weight loss or impaired nutrition.
