Incomplete post-fall neurological assessments
Summary
The facility failed to appropriately complete assessments for 3 of 3 residents who fell at the facility. Resident #1 had severely impaired cognition with a BIMS score of 01, diagnoses including non-Alzheimer's dementia, anxiety, and hospice, and care plans noting impaired cognitive function and a fall risk related to assistive devices and a history of falls. After an unwitnessed fall on 8/02/25, the neurological assessment flow sheet documented movement of all extremities but lacked pupil response, hand grasp strength, and pain assessment while the resident was documented as sleeping. After another fall on 9/22/25, neurological checks were initiated, but the flow sheet lacked the signature of the staff who performed the assessments. After a fall on 10/20/25, the neurological assessment flow sheet lacked completed level of consciousness, pupil response, hand grasp strength, extremity movement, pain, and vital signs assessments. Resident #6 had a BIMS score of 00, diagnoses of non-Alzheimer's dementia and arthritis, and required extensive assistance with ADLs and mobility. His care plan identified acute on chronic pain risk and fall risk related to altered mobility, chronic confusion, history of falls, poor safety awareness, relocation stress, and weakness. After he was found sitting on the floor next to his bed on 12/06/25, neurological checks were initiated due to the unwitnessed fall. The neurological assessment flow sheet documented assessments from 9:30 PM through 11:15 PM, but no further neurological assessments were documented from 11:45 PM through 12:45 PM the next day. Resident #7 could not complete a BIMS because she was rarely or never understood and had diagnoses including stroke without residual deficits, one-sided severe weakness, and bilateral hearing loss. She was dependent with all ADLs and mobility, and her care plan identified impaired visual function and fall risk. After she was found on the floor beside her bed on 8/04/25, the incident note did not indicate that neurological checks were initiated. A later neurological assessment flow sheet included 30-minute vital signs from 3:30 AM through 5:30 AM, but did not include pupil response, motor function, or pain assessments during those times. Staff interviews showed an LPN could not verbalize the neurological assessment frequency guidelines and stated all columns on the form must be completed, while the ADON stated unwitnessed falls required an initial assessment and neurological checks every 15 minutes x4, every 30 minutes x2, every hour x4, then every shift for 72 hours; the DON stated staff should follow the policy.
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