Failure to Complete and Document Ordered Wound Care
Summary
The facility failed to prevent neglect for a resident with a right medial leg surgical wound when ordered wound care was not completed and not documented. The resident had multiple diagnoses including cerebrum hemorrhage, atherosclerotic heart disease, colostomy, hypertension, COPD, cocaine abuse, acute kidney failure, and depression, and was cognitively intact with a BIMS score of 14. The admission assessment documented a surgical scar post CABG and a right lower extremity dressing, and the resident stated that he repeatedly asked nurses to change his leg wound dressing but they would not do it, so he changed it himself using supplies from the hospital. He also reported that the dressing would be dirty and bloody and that he had taken pictures of it. The wound care records showed physician treatment recommendations for the right medial leg surgical incision. On 3/5/26, the wound doctor documented a surgical wound with low sanguinous drainage and ordered cleansing with normal saline, Betadine, and bordered gauze every other day, with treatment to be done by the wound care team and other care by facility staff. On 3/26/26, the wound doctor documented the wound as worsening with moderate sanguinous drainage and malodor, and ordered cleansing with Dakin's solution, honey gel, silver alginate, and daily dressing changes, along with CBC and doxycycline 100 mg by mouth twice daily for 7 days. The wound care nurse stated that the doctor’s treatment recommendations were the orders and that she normally entered them into the computer, but she said the March order was omitted and she did not enter the March 26 recommendation into the EHR. The TAR showed no documented wound treatments for the resident’s right medial leg surgical incision on multiple days in March and April 2026. The resident’s progress note on 4/2/26 stated that he had been independently changing his own dressing using supplies kept in his room, and that wound healing was not progressing appropriately. Staff interviews confirmed that nurses were supposed to change the dressing when the wound nurse was not working and document the treatment when completed, and the DON stated that nurses were expected to carry out physician orders and verify that orders were entered into the EHR. The facility policy stated that wound treatments are to be provided according to physician orders and that if treatment orders are absent, the licensed nurse is to notify the physician to obtain orders.
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