Failure to Maintain Clean, Homelike Shower Rooms
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to maintain two shower rooms (East and West) in a clean, sanitary, and homelike condition as required by its “Homelike Environment” policy. Surveyors observed multiple instances of unclean and deteriorated conditions, including deep scratches on toilet seats with brown and beige encrusted particles, black matter in shower tile grout and under sinks, soft and spongy wall areas with peeling and bubbling surfaces, and black substances believed by staff to be mildew or mold. In Shower Room East, surveyors also found used, wet washcloths left in the shower and under the sink, a full trash can with the lid open, the shower head touching the floor, and black and pink matter on the floor and tile lines. These conditions were observed on multiple dates in both shower rooms. A cognitively intact, medically complex resident reported that during their stay they were concerned about the shower room’s cleanliness, odor, and dirty linen left from previous use, which made them not want to shower again until discharge. Another cognitively intact resident residing on Dungeness Hall stated they did not use the hall’s shower room because it was a mess, the handle had broken off, and the water temperature fluctuated from hot to cold, so they preferred another unit’s shower room. The housekeeping supervisor reported that shower rooms were mopped daily and deep cleaned weekly but stated it was difficult to keep up due to the age and disrepair of the bathrooms and believed the black substance was mildew or mold, possibly colonized behind the walls. The Infection Control Nurse had not inspected the Grey Wolf and Dungeness Hall shower rooms for some time and was unaware of the current black substance, while the DON and Maintenance Director acknowledged staff-reported mold problems, lack of ventilation, and uncertainty about whether the black substance was mold, with no testing having been done. The administrator and maintenance director both conceded the rooms were old and could be better, and that they did not fully represent a clean, homelike environment.
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