Finding Description
Based upon review of facility policies and procedures, observation, interview and clinical record review, it was determined the facility failed to assess residents for elopement for one of 32 residents reviewed (Resident 30) and failed ensure the safety of residents involving resident smoking, use of an electric wheelchair and medications for one of 32 residents reviewed (Resident 119).
Findings include:
Review of facility policy titled Elopement of Patient with a revision date of October 24, 2024, states Identify patient's elopement risk upon admission, re-admission, quarterly, or with a significant change in condition. Further review of the facilities elopement policy revealed Social Services should also evaluate a residents elopement risk when conducting a social service assessment.
Review of facility policy and procedure titled Smoking, revised October 24, 2022, revealed Those Centers that wish to become smoke-free must receive approval from the Market President For Centers that choose to have a smoke-free building or campus: smoking in any form through the use of tobacco products (pipes, cigars and cigarettes) or 'vaping' with electronic cigarettes is prohibited; the policy is applicable to all persons including staff, volunteers, contractors, patients and visitors; a smoke-free campus includes all Center property and premises including inside and outside of Center buildings, grounds, and parking areas including Center and personal vehicles in the parking area.
Further review of this policy revealed For Centers that allow smoking, smoking (including the use of e-cigarettes) will be permitted in designated areas only. Patients/Residents (hereinafter 'patient') will be assessed on admission, quarterly and with change in condition for the ability to smoke safely and, if necessary, will be supervised.
Further review of this policy revealed Supervised smoking is defined as The observer must be in the direct area of the smoker, within eye contact and able to respond to emergency situations.
Further review of this policy revealed The patient/patient representative will sign the Smoke-Free Center Acknowledgement Form. Failure to comply with this policy may result in: disciplinary action up to and including termination for employees; initiation of a discharge plan for patients; request to leave the premises for volunteers, contractors and visitors.
Further review of this policy revealed For centers that allow smoking: safety equipment such as a fire blanket and portable fire extinguishers will be available within or near the designated smoking area(s).
Further review of this policy revealed Smoking supplies (including, but not limited to, tobacco, matches, lighters, lighter fluid, batteries, refill cartridges, etc.) will be labeled with the patient's name, room number and bed number, maintained by staff, and stored in a suitable cabinet kept at the nursing station. Patients will not be allowed to maintain their own lighter, lighter fluid or matches.
Further review of this policy revealed If there is a 'willful' disregard for safety to others or the Center is jeopardized by a patient's disregard for the smoking policy, termination of smoking privileges or initiation of a discharge plan may occur.
Review of facility policy and procedure titled Medication Administration Oral, revised June 1, 2021, revealed Stay with patient until the drug has been swallowed. Ask patient to open mouth if uncertain whether medication has been swallowed.
Review of Resident 30's clinical record revealed the following diagnosis: bipolar disorder, unspecified (A major affective disorder marked by severe mood swings), Vascular dementia (A degenerative vascular disorder affecting the brain), anxiety disorder (A mental health disorder characterized by feelings of worry), Psychotic disorder with delusions (disorder in which a person can't tell what's real from what's imagined).
Observations conducted on May 1, 2023, at approximately 10:15 a.m. in the Arcadia unit (a locked memory care unit) observed Resident 30 with exit seeking behavior, Resident R30 attempted to open two locked door which led to the Roosevelt unit.
Review of Resident 30's MDS (Minimum Data Set, used for standardized assessments) revealed the Resident had a BIMs (Brief interview for Mental Status) of 99, which means Resident R30 was unable to complete the interview due to cognitive impairment.
Review of Resident 30's clinical record revealed the facility did not complete an elopement assessment (assessment used to determine a resident's risk for elopement).
Review of Resident 30's care plan failed to find any care areas or interventions related to mitigating or preventing Resident 30's exit seeking behaviors.
Interview conducted with the social services department confirmed that the facility did not complete an elopement assessment for Resident 30. Social services also confirmed they did not evaluate Resident 30 for elopement.
At the time of the survey, this facility was a non-smoking facility. Smoking privileges were extended to Resident 119 due to Resident 119's outrageous behaviors.
Review of Resident 119's diagnosis list revealed diagnoses including prostate cancer, thoracic spine fracture and paraplegia.
Observation of Resident 119 on May 1, 2023, at 8:30 a.m. revealed Resident 119 outside the facility on the sidewalk, unattended, putting a coat over the head and lighting a cigarette.
Observation of Resident 119 on May 1, 2023, at 11:49 a.m. revealed Resident 119 smoking outside the facility on the sidewalk unattended.
Interview with Employee E3 on May 1, 2023, at 11:51 a.m. revealed Resident 119 is to be attended while outside smoking and is to obtain all smoking materials at the front desk from the receptionist prior to exiting the facility to smoke and is to return the materials when smoking is complete. The interview further revealed Resident 119 did not stop at the receptionist desk to obtain smoking materials and Resident 119's lighter was missing from the closet where it was supposed to be kept. The interview further revealed Resident 119 frequently does not stop at the reception desk prior to or returning from smoking and frequently refuses to relinquish smoking materials when requested.
Observation of Resident 119 on all days of the survey revealed Resident 119 outside of facility smoking unattended.
Review of Resident 119's clinical record failed to reveal evidence of a smoking evaluation and failed to reveal evidence of a care plan for smoking.
Multiple interviews with the Nursing Home Administrator and Director of Nursing on all days of the survey revealed Resident 119 was granted permission to smoke after conversation with Resident 119 and a representative from the county Ombudsman's office. Smoking rules and regulations were explained to Resident 119 as well as the county Ombudsman. Resident 119 used blatant disregard for all rules set forth by the facility. Resident 119's smoking privileges were rescinded on day three of the survey.
The facility failed to ensure the safety of residents in the facility by allowing Resident 119 to continue to smoke despite blatant disregard for the rules and regulations, continued to maintain smoking materials on his person or in his room, and allowing Resident 119 to smoke ad lib without supervision.
Observation of Resident 119 on three days of the survey revealed Resident 119 utilizing a motorized wheelchair in an unsafe manner throughout the facility.
Observation of Resident 119 revealed Resident 119 utilizing the motorized wheelchair at unsafe speeds and continually pushing the horn while speeding throughout the facility causing other residents to rush out of the way of Resident 119 and the motorized wheelchair.
Review of Power-Mobility Indoor Driving Assessment Score Sheet dated August 26, 2022, revealed Resident 119 was able to operate the motorized wheelchair in a safe manner.
Review of nurse practitioner progress note dated April 21, 2023, revealed Observed patient riding with his legs elevated at 90 degrees angle. Staff expressed concern as patient speeds in the hallway with motorized wheelchair, bump into people and walls, discussed motorized wheelchair safety with patient encouraging slow speed, avoiding running into other staff or residents and refraining from riding with legs at 90-degree angle or in an elevated position. Patient advised safety infractions persist, due to safety concerns for him and others, he may benefit from a standard wheelchair rather than a motorized wheelchair. Advised patient due to the safety concerns listed above, unsupervised LOA would not be medically suitable at this time.
Interview with residents at a group meeting on May 2, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. revealed Resident A stated [Resident 119] drives too fast and is reckless. I am afraid I might get hit leaving my room. There's going to be a bad accident and he comes up behind people, beeping the horn.
Further interview with residents at the group meeting revealed Resident B stated, I feel threatened by him, and he honks the horn.
Interview with the Nursing Home Administrator and the Director of Nursing on May 3, 2023, revealed that one safety evaluation was completed for the use of the motorized wheelchair and no further safety assessments were completed. However, many discussions were held with Resident 119 along with Resident 119's Ombudsman regarding Resident 119's disregard for the safety of other residents while Resident 119 utilized the motorized wheelchair.
The interview further revealed Resident 119 is non-compliant with safety requirements set forth for the use of the motorized wheelchair.
The facility failed to ensure the safety of residents in the facility by allowing Resident 119 the continued unsafe use of the motorized wheelchair.
Observation on May 2, 2023, at 11:30 a.m. revealed Resident 119 approach surveyor with a medication cup containing seven pills.
Resident 119 stated this was left on my table beside my bed and I am taking it to the Director of Nursing right now. They always do this, and I never get them on time. Surveyor accompanied Resident 119 to the Director of Nursing's office to report medications left on bedside table.
Upon completion of investigation, it was determined that medications were left on the bedside table by Licensed Employee E4 on the 11-7 shift between May 1, 2023, and May 2, 2023.
Review of Licensed Employee E4's statement revealed Nurse reports that he did leave the medications at bedside, and further stated [resident] asked months ago to have his medications delivered at 5:00 a.m. and he asked specifically to have them placed on his nightstand. [resident] refuses to take his medications otherwise. This became an issue when his cancer meds were to be given 2 hours prior to meals and he expressed concerns that he wasn't getting his meds early enough, so I changed the time of administration to 5:00 a.m. At that time, he began to request his meds be left at bedside and he would take them upon waking. He refuses to take his medications otherwise. He is usually awake until night staff comes in to make rounds around the building and count staffing. He makes a few laps around then he goes to bed. He's never awake for the 5:00 a.m. med pass, but he continues to request his meds be administered that early.
Interview with the Director of Nursing on May 2, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. revealed that Licensed Employee E4 did, in fact, leave the meds at the bedside per resident's request. Resident 119 had not been assessed for self-administration of medications and the medications should not have been left at the bedside.
The facility failed to ensure medications were administered safely according to facility policy and procedure.
28 Pa. Code 201.18(a)(b)(1)(2)(3) Management
28 Pa. Code 211.12(c). Nursing services
28 Pa. Code 211.10(c) Resident care policies