Delayed Response to Call Bells and Communication Barriers During Care
Summary
The facility failed to provide care in a manner that promoted and enhanced residents’ dignity and quality of life by not responding in a timely manner to call bells and by providing care in a language understood by the resident. The deficiency involved 6 of 23 residents reviewed, including Residents 10, 58, 69, 6, 71, and 1, and was also reflected in a resident group interview in which multiple residents reported long waits for assistance and staff speaking in languages they did not understand during care. Resident interviews described repeated delays in staff response, often lasting 30 minutes to more than an hour. Resident 10 reported waiting over an hour for assistance and said the problem had been raised in resident council and grievances without improvement. Resident 71 reported waiting more than an hour for help with toileting, cleaning, and getting in and out of bed, especially on day shift. Resident 58 stated she frequently waited so long for help to use the bathroom that she became incontinent and remained in soiled clothing while waiting, which she described as embarrassing and humiliating. Resident 69 and Resident 6 also reported waits of more than an hour for call bell response, and Resident 1 reported waiting more than 30 minutes, especially during mealtimes. The report also documented concerns about communication during care. Resident 69 stated that two staff members spoke to one another in a language she could not understand while providing care, and when she asked them to speak English, one staff member replied, “We’re not talking to you.” Resident 6 reported staff speaking in a foreign language while providing care, and Resident 1, Resident 27, Resident 28, Resident 36, and others reported similar concerns during the group interview. During that interview, 7 of 9 residents reported long wait times for care and 6 of 9 reported being upset because staff spoke in a language they did not understand while providing care. The administrator reviewed the concerns and was unable to explain why residents were reporting untimely responses to requests for assistance.
Penalty
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