Failure to assess and document resident skin conditions and wound status
Summary
The facility failed to ensure ongoing assessment, monitoring, and accurate documentation of skin condition and wound healing for two residents. One resident had diabetes, heart disease, venous insufficiency, anemia, and moderate cognitive impairment, and was observed with generalized scabs on the neck, upper chest, arms, and legs. The resident reported lesions for several weeks and itching, and staff noted the resident was receiving hydrocortisone cream for scabbed areas. The treatment nurse stated that wound assessments were documented weekly, but the most recent documented entry was from 02/13/2026, that an assessment had been performed on 02/19/2026 but not yet documented, and that there was no initial documentation of the generalized scabs. During interview, the treatment nurse stated that wound assessments should include measuring the wound, noting color, tissue type, and drainage, and that skin assessments are essential for evaluating wound progression and determining treatment. The nurse also stated that the assessment for the generalized wound was planned after completion of hydrocortisone treatment. The DON reviewed the facility policy requiring assessment, documentation, treatment, and monitoring in accordance with applicable regulations, and stated that nursing staff are responsible for admission, weekly, and significant-change skin assessments, measuring and documenting wound characteristics, implementing ordered treatments, and notifying the physician of new or worsening wounds. The DON stated that the treatment nurse missed the assessment for the generalized wound and did not adhere to the facility policy. A second resident with blindness, dementia, metabolic encephalopathy, and hospice services had documentation that was not consistent with the resident’s current condition. A skin check assessment documented multiple open blisters on the arms and thighs, and a hospice re-certification assessment described the resident as bedbound with multiple wounds, including skin tears and an ulcer. However, the treatment nurse stated the resident had no active wounds and that the wounds had resolved in 2025, while also stating the electronic record did not show when the wounds were resolved and that weekly wound assessments should have been done to monitor progress. The CNA and DON both stated the resident was not bedbound and had no open skin areas, and the DON stated the hospice re-certification assessment was not accurate because it did not reflect the resident’s current condition.
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