Blanket Supervision Rule Restricted Resident Access to Courtyard
Summary
The facility failed to honor a resident's right to make choices regarding daily activities by applying a blanket rule that residents had to be accompanied by staff to access a secured outdoor courtyard, without an individualized assessment of the resident's safety, abilities, or need for supervision. This affected one of two residents reviewed for resident rights, a resident with intact cognition who was independent with most ADLs and transfers, used a wheelchair for mobility, and had diagnoses including paranoid schizophrenia, dementia, CHF, above-the-knee amputation, delusional disorders, generalized anxiety, and PTSD. His care plan identified that he was pleasant, able to make his needs known, preferred independent activities, and enjoyed going outside. The resident stated he had previously been able to go to the locked unit's fenced courtyard whenever he wanted, but staff told him he could no longer go unless accompanied by staff because another resident had fallen there. He reported that he preferred going outside in the morning when it was cooler and less windy, but staff were not available then and instead took him out later in the day when it was hotter. He also stated he had complained to the unit nurse, activities, social worker, and administration, but was told it was the rule for the unit. Survey observations showed the resident in the courtyard with another resident and an unidentified staff member nearby, and later the staff member told the residents they had to return inside. Interviews with RN, SW, DON, and the administrator confirmed that residents were being kept from going to the courtyard unsupervised, that no resident had been individually assessed for safe independent access, and that the facility had implemented the supervision practice after a recent fall. Staff also stated the courtyard gate and building access were locked, there was no call system for residents outside, and the facility had not evaluated each resident to determine whether they could safely access the courtyard independently.
Penalty
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