No Full-Time DON Coverage
Summary
The facility failed to ensure a registered nurse served as the full-time Director of Nursing. Record review of the DON timecard coverage report from 04/25/2026 through 06/04/2026 showed there was no DON in the facility, and the timecard indicated the RNC had been in the facility three days per week for 24 hours per week since the previous DON's last day on 04/24/2026. The Clinical Staffing Schedules for May 2026 showed the DON spot was blank. Observations and interviews confirmed the absence of a full-time DON role in the facility. On 06/03/2026, the RNC was not observed in the facility throughout the day, while on 06/04/2026 the RNC was observed rounding and speaking with nursing staff. RN-A stated she worked full time as the WCN and said LVN-B, who was also the ADON and Infection Control Nurse, had been covering for the DON. The ADON stated she was an LVN and had been helping as much as she could, while the RNC had been filling in 2 or 3 days per week until the position was filled. The SW stated the DON left about 4 weeks earlier and the ADON was the acting DON until the position was filled. The Administrator stated the RNC came in 3-4 times per week for 8 hours a day and that she had been observing the WCN as a possible DON candidate. The Administrator also stated the facility did not have a policy addressing the DON or DON coverage.
Penalty
Resources
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