CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0578
(Tag F0578)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on record review and interview, the facility failed to ensure Advance Directives were formulated and signed by the residents, for two Residents (#339 and #8), out of a total sample of 25 residen...
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Based on record review and interview, the facility failed to ensure Advance Directives were formulated and signed by the residents, for two Residents (#339 and #8), out of a total sample of 25 residents.
Findings include:
Review of the Massachusetts Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (MOLST) form, dated August 10, 2013, indicated but was not limited to the following:
Instructions:
-This form should be signed based on goals of care discussions between the patient (or patient's representative signing below) and the signing clinician.
-Sections A through C are valid orders only if sections D and E are complete.
If any section is not completed, there is no limitation on the treatment indicated in that section.
Section D: Patient or patient's representative signature is required.
Section E: Clinician signature required.
1. Resident #339 was admitted to the facility in May 2023 with a diagnosis of a fracture of the proximal right femur (upper leg bone).
Review of the Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessment, dated 5/8/23, indicated Resident #339 scored 12 out of 15 on the Brief Interview for Mental Status (BIMS) exam which indicated the Resident had mild cognitive impairment.
Review of the Physician's Orders indicated Resident #339's Health Care Proxy (HCP) was not invoked.
Review of Resident #339's MOLST indicated Section D: Patient or patient's representative signature required had the following handwritten statement, verbal consent obtained from HCP dated 5/4/2023. Resident #339 did not sign the form.
2. Resident #8 was admitted to the facility in August 2022 with diagnoses which included heart attack, heart failure, stroke, and diabetes.
Review of the MDS assessment, dated 2/7/23, indicated Resident #8 scored 15 out of 15 on the BIMS exam which indicated the Resident was cognitively intact.
Review of the Physician's Orders indicated Resident #8's HCP was not invoked.
Review of Resident #8's MOLST indicated Section D: Patient or patient's representative signature required had the following handwritten statement: signed via telephone consent and communicated with HCP (Health Care Proxy) as patient was legally blind on 9/2/2022. Resident #8 did not sign the form.
During an interview on 5/16/23 at 5:16 P.M., Nurse #1 said we don't accept verbal orders on the MOLST. She said the Resident has to sign the MOLST if the HCP is not activated.
During an interview on 5/16/23 at 5:30 P.M., the Director of Nurses (DON) said if a resident is admitted to the facility with their MOLST signed with a verbal consent or by the wrong person, we have the MOLST corrected upon admission. The DON said her expectation is the resident signs the MOLST, unless the healthcare proxy has been invoked. The DON reviewed the MOLSTs for Residents #339 and #8 and said they were not valid because they were signed with a verbal consent and should have been signed by Resident #339 and #8 respectively.
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Comprehensive Care Plan
(Tag F0656)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on record review, interview, and policy review, the facility failed to consistently update and implement a fall care plan with interventions to prevent further falls for one Resident (#117), out...
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Based on record review, interview, and policy review, the facility failed to consistently update and implement a fall care plan with interventions to prevent further falls for one Resident (#117), out of a total sample of 25 residents.
Findings include:
Review of the facility's policy titled Falls Program, dated as reviewed 9/2022, indicated but was not limited to the following:
- the purpose of this policy is to prevent actual occurrences of falls and reduce the risk of any injury
- develop individualized care plan
- review and revise the care plan as needed
- residents experiencing a fall will receive appropriate care with investigation of cause and care plan will reflect new interventions initiated
Resident #117 was admitted to the facility in February 2023 with the following diagnoses: repeated falls, polyneuropathy (a dysfunction of the nerves that can cause decrease sensation, pain or involuntary movements), and orthostatic hypotension (a drop in blood pressure with a change in position of the body).
Review of the Resident Fall Assessments indicated the Resident was a moderate to high risk for falls since admission in February.
Review of the current care plans for Resident #117 indicated but was not limited to the following:
A. Resident is at risk for falls related to (r/t) unaware of safety needs, impaired mobility, and cognitive deficits.
Interventions include:
- attempt to anticipate needs (2/6/23)
- call light in reach and encourage use (2/6/23)
- offer to toilet resident every two hours while awake (2/6/23)
- follow facility fall protocol (2/6/23)
- ensure proper footwear/slipper socks (2/6/23)
- send to emergency room (ER) for evaluation (3/28/23)
- bed alarm and chair alarm (3/29/23)
B. Resident has had an actual fall 3/27/23 with minor injury to forehead r/t poor balance, actual fall 3/29/23 unassisted toileting, actual fall 3/29/23 bed to wheelchair (wc) transfer, actual fall wc to bed transfer 3/30/23.
Interventions include:
- continue interventions on the at-risk care plan (3/28/23)
- assess for changes in behavior and mental status until 4/4/23 (3/28/23)
- patient will resume skilled rehabilitation (3/28/23)
- send urinalysis and culture to rule out urinary tract infection (3/29/23)
- slipper socks (3/29/23)
- surveillance labs to identify any anomaly (3/30/23)
- physician review of medications (3/30/23)
- orthostatic vital signs for 72 hours (4/7/23)
Review of the Fall Incident Reports for Resident #117 indicated but was not limited to the following:
A. 3/27/23 unwitnessed fall at 8:30 P.M.
- mobility status prior to incident: independent
- Resident was in bed prior to fall
- small laceration to forehead
- intervention added to prevent further fall: blank
- resident said he/she was in bed and trying to get up and slid down to the floor
- immediate intervention initiated and further recommendations: send to ER for evaluation
- follow up summary: (3/28/23) scans done in the ER negative for major injury, small laceration with four staples
There was no intervention initiated to prevent further falls upon the Resident's return to the facility.
B. 3/29/23 unwitnessed fall at 6:15 A.M.
- mobility status prior to incident: assist
- resident found sitting on floor in front of the toilet
- no apparent injury
- intervention added to prevent further fall: urinal at bedside, bed alarm in place
- immediate intervention initiated and further recommendations: slipper socks
- follow up summary: (3/29/23) blank
C. 3/29/23 unwitnessed fall at 3:00 P.M.
- mobility status prior to incident: assist
- resident found sitting on the floor in front of wheelchair
- no apparent injury
- intervention added to prevent further fall: leave wheelchair in locked position next to bed
- immediate intervention initiated and further recommendations: resident is self-transferring and not using call light, leave wheelchair locked beside bed, resident has a bed alarm
- follow up summary: (3/29/23) non-injury fall
D. 3/30/23 unwitnessed fall at 12:30 P.M.
- mobility status prior to incident: assist
- resident found sitting in between the bed and wheelchair (per the drawn picture)
- no apparent injury
- intervention added to prevent further fall: blank
- resident self removed slipper socks
- resident had completed skilled rehabilitation and was left in wheelchair in room facing the television
- resident said he/she was trying to get to bed from the chair
- immediate intervention initiated and further recommendations: surveillance labs and medication list review
- follow up summary: (3/30/23) non-injury fall, medical work up, recurrent falls
Review of the Physician's Notes indicated Resident #117 was seen by his/her physician on 3/30/23 for increasing falls with unclear etiology. The physician indicated a urinalysis was pending and labs would be obtained as well as a neurological consult.
Review of the facility progress notes indicated the following:
- 3/31/23: Change in condition, altered mental status, no medication changes in the last week, increase confusion, decrease mobility, increase weakness, urinalysis and labs pending, send to ER for medical work up.
- 4/4/23: Resident returned to the facility from the hospital where he/she was diagnosed with urinary tract infection and fractured nose.
During an interview on 5/17/23 at 11:07 A.M., Unit Manager #3 reviewed the medical record for Resident #117, including the care plans and said there was no intervention put in place following the Resident's fall on 3/27/23 to prevent further falls, she said the evaluation at the ER was a follow up action and an intervention to prevent falls should have been put in place. She said the Resident had multiple falls and a urine pending to rule out urinary tract infection (UTI), was non-compliant with call light and slipper sock use and had poor safety awareness. She said interventions for falls should be related to the cause of the fall to prevent further incidents and she could not find any evidence of an intervention being implemented that would prevent further falls following the 3/27/23 fall or the 3/30/23 fall.
During an interview on 5/17/23 at 11:45 A.M., the Director of Nurses reviewed the medical record and was made aware of the concerns. She said even though the Resident was sent to the hospital following the 3/27/23 fall, an intervention should have been put in place upon his/her return to prevent further incidents and was not. She said the Resident should have had an intervention implemented following the 3/30/23 fall as well, in an attempt to prevent further falls prior to the medical work up being complete. She said the fall policy indicates a new intervention to prevent further falls needs to be implemented and the policy was not followed as it should have been.
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0658
(Tag F0658)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation, policy review, and interview, the facility failed for two Residents (#108 and #117) to maintain professional standards of practice, out of a total sample of 25 residents. Specifi...
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Based on observation, policy review, and interview, the facility failed for two Residents (#108 and #117) to maintain professional standards of practice, out of a total sample of 25 residents. Specifically, the facility failed to:
1. For Resident #108,
a. Ensure medications that were administered through an enteral feeding tube met professional standards and the facility policy, and
b. Provide enteral feedings as ordered by a physician; and
2. Follow the pharmacist recommendation to administer Tegretol (Carbamazepine - used to treat seizures, nerve pain, and bipolar disorder), with food for Resident #117.
Findings include:
1. Resident #108 was admitted to the facility in May 2023 with diagnoses including unspecified intestinal obstruction and malignant neoplasm (abnormal growth of tissue) in the mouth. The Resident had a gastrointestinal feeding tube (tube goes into the stomach).
a. Review of the facility's policy titled Medication Administration Through a Feeding Tube, dated as reviewed September 2022, indicated but was not limited to the following:
- the purpose of this policy is to accurately administer oral medications through an enteral (feeding) tube
- location of the feeding tube will be verified by nursing prior to administration of flushes or medications
- the tube will be flushed with at least 30 cubic centimeters (cc) of water before and after medications are administered; it is recommended to flush with 5-15 cc of water between each medication administered
Procedure:
- if liquid medications are not available crush tablets into a fine powder and mix powder with 30-50 cc of water
- flush feeding tube with at least 30 cc of warm water between the administration of each medication
- administer each medication separately and flush the feeding tube with 5-15 cc of water in between each medication
- verify tube placement as drug absorption will be affected by the tubes proper location
On 5/12/23 at 9:43 A.M., the surveyor observed Nurse #6 prepare medications for administration to Resident #108 as follows:
- Amoxicillin 875 milligrams (mg), crushed and placed in a small plastic medication cup with 20 milliliters (ml) of cold water from the ice water pitcher on the medication cart added to the cup
- Azithromycin 250 mg - placed in small pill bag for crushing
- Aspirin 81 mg - placed in the same small pill bag for crushing as Azithromycin
- Proscar (finasteride) 5 mg - placed in the same small pill bag for crushing as the other pills
- Pilocarpine 5 mg - placed in the same small pill bag for crushing as the other pills
- Atorvastatin 20 mg - placed in the same small pill bag for crushing as the other pills
The five pills were crushed together, placed in a small plastic medication cup, separate from the Amoxicillin, and mixed with 20 ml of cold water from the ice water pitcher on the medication cart.
Nurse #6 then removed a large bag of Isosource 1.5 from the bottom drawer of the medication cart that was labeled as belonging to Resident #108 and dated 5/11/23.
The surveyor observed Nurse #6 pour the Isosource 1.5 into two 5-ounce plastic cups, filling each cup about three quarters of the way up to the top. She said she does not measure the amount of Isosource, but believes each cup is about 125 ml, and the order is for 250 ml, and she trusts the cup size.
Five ounces equals 147.86 ml, the five-ounce cups in use were not observed to be filled to the top and were only observed to be filled approximately three quarters of the way up.
Nurse #6 then entered the room for medication administration, but provided other tasks to Resident # 108 prior to administering the medications at 10:29 A.M. (46 minutes after the medications were crushed and placed in cold water). The medications and Isosource 1.5 enteral feeding were placed on a table awaiting administration.
At 10:29 A.M., the surveyor made the following observations of medication administration to Resident #108 through an enteral feeding tube:
- Nurse #6 used an irrigation syringe from the room to draw up 90 ml of tap water and flush the tube with 90 ml of water
- the nurse was not observed to verify placement of Resident #108's enteral tube, prior to flushing the tube or beginning medication administration
- attached the irrigation syringe to the end of the enteral tube, without the plunger in place
- poured cup of Amoxicillin previously mixed in 20 ml of cold water into the tube
- medication residue was observed sticking in the bottom of the cup
- poured additional water into the tube; she was not observed measuring the amount and said it was about 20 ml
- poured second cup of medications into the syringe connected to the Resident's tube
- poured more water into the tube; she was not observed measuring the amount but said it was about 20 ml
b. Immediately following the administration of medications Nurse #6 was observed to do the following:
- pour water into an empty 5-ounce plastic cup about a third of the way up, the nurse said it was about 30 ml of water, she was not observed to measure the water
- the irrigation syringe was then used to draw 60 ml of Isosource 1.5 out of one of the two previously prepared cups and placed in the cup with the 30 ml of water, the cup was observed to be about three quarters of the way full
- the irrigation syringe was attached to the Resident's tube, without the plunger
- one cup of Isosource 1.5 which was previously poured but not measured, was then poured into the Resident's tube
- the nurse said it was about 120 ml of Isosource but confirmed she did not measure it
- the cup with 60 ml of Isosource 1.5 and 30 ml of water was then poured into the tube (visually it was the same amount of fluid as the cups of Isosource 1.5)
- then the second cup of Isosource 1.5 was poured into the tube
- the syringe was disconnected from the Resident and 60 ml of water was drawn into the syringe
- the syringe was reattached to the Resident and the 60 ml of water was slowly pushed into the Resident's tube
Review of Resident #108's current Physician's Orders for enteral feeding and medications indicated but were not limited to the following:
- Aspirin 81 mg one time a day via tube at 9:00 A.M.
- Atorvastatin 20 mg one time a day via tube at 9:00 A.M.
- Azithromycin 250 mg one time a day via tube at 8:00 A.M.
- Finasteride (Proscar) 5 mg one time a day via tube at 9:00 A.M.
- Pilocarpine 5 mg one time a day via tube at 9:00 A.M.
- Amoxicillin 875 mg two times a day via tube at 8:00 A.M. and 8:00 P.M.
- Check placement of tube every shift
- Flush feeding tube with 30 ml water before and after each medication pass and flush with 5 ml of water between each medication
- Mix medications with hot water prior to administration
- Flush feeding tube with 90 ml of water before and after bolus feedings five times a day
- Isosource 1.5 bolus, 250 ml five times a day via tube
During an interview on 5/12/23 at 11:23 A.M., Nurse #6 said she did not follow the orders specifically to use hot water to mix the medications in and used the ice water from her medication cart. She said she should have followed the orders specifically. She said she did not flush with 5 ml of water following each medication because she mixed most of the medications together with about 20 ml of cold water and thought that would cover all the required flushes. She said she should have checked for tube placement prior to medication administration and did not. She said she cannot be sure how much water or Isosource was administered to the Resident in total because she did not measure, but that she should have measured all the fluids to ensure the Resident is getting his/her ordered amount of Isosource and flushes. She said she was new to the facility, had only been there for about two weeks and felt nervous about performing medication and enteral feeding administrations.
During an interview on 5/12/23 at 1:46 P.M., the Director of Nurses was made aware of the surveyor's observations and said Nurse #6 is newer, but not inexperienced and has gone through a full orientation and training program. She said her expectation is that the physician's orders are followed. She said the nurse should have verified placement of the enteral tube prior to administering medications, each medication should have been crushed separately, diluted in water individually, and a flush of water to start, in between each medication, and at the end of the medications. She said her expectations of the orders being followed, tube placement verified and management of the bolus feeding, and medication administration were not met.
Refer to F726
2. Resident #117 was admitted to the facility in February 2023 with diagnoses including epilepsy unspecified, not intractable, without status epilepticus.
On 05/16/23 at 9:40 A.M., the surveyor observed Nurse #9 administering medications to Resident #117. Nurse #9 poured Tegretol (Carbamazepine) 200 Milligrams (mg) tablets, three tablets to equal 600 MG to administer to the Resident for seizure disorder. Nurse #9 administered the medication with water to the Resident.
Review of the Pharmacy medication card, dated May 2023, indicated to administer Carbamazepine to the Resident with food.
Review of the electronic Medication Administration Record included no instructions to administer the medication with food.
During an interview on 5/16/23 at 11:30 A.M., Unit Manager # 1 said the instructions label from pharmacy take with food was not followed in the Resident's Medication Administration Record. Unit Manager #1 confirmed that the medication was not administered with food as instructed by the Pharmacist.
During an interview on 5/16/23 at 11:45 A.M., Nurse #9 said she did not administer the Carbamazepine with food to the Resident.
During an interview on 5/17/23 at 9:24 A.M., the Director of Nurses said she would follow-up with the pharmacy for clarification.
Review of the order summary clarification from pharmacy, dated 5/17/23, indicated to administer Carbamazepine 200 MG, three tablets (600 MG) by mouth two times a day for seizure disorder, give with food.
During an interview on 5/17/23 at 10:40 A.M., the Assistant Director of Nurses said nursing staff failed to follow the instructions on the Resident's Carbamazepine medication card.
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0726
(Tag F0726)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on observation, record review, and policy review, the facility failed to ensure that a licensed nurse had completed the necessary competencies prior to administering medication and enteral feedi...
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Based on observation, record review, and policy review, the facility failed to ensure that a licensed nurse had completed the necessary competencies prior to administering medication and enteral feeding through a gastrointestinal tube (tube goes into the stomach) for one Resident (#108).
Findings include:
Review of the facility's policy titled Orientation Program for Newly Hired Employees, Transfers, Volunteers, dated 2008, indicated but was not limited to the following:
-An orientation program shall be conducted for all newly hired employees, transfers from other departments, and volunteers.
-That's Our orientation program includes, but is not limited to:
-In addition to our general orientation, each department will orientate the newly employee/transfer/volunteer to his or her department's policies and procedures, as well as other data will aid him/her in understanding the team concept, attitudes and approaches to resident care.
-A written record will be maintained of each employee's/volunteer's individual orientation program.
-Orientation records shall include the date reviewed, employee's/volunteer's initials, subject reviewed, and other information deemed necessary or appropriate.
-Records of orientation shall be filed in the employee's/volunteer's personnel file upon completion orientation program.
-Completed copies of Employee Orientation Checklists are filed in the employee's personnel file.
According to the Board of Registration in Nursing, 244 CMR 9.00 &10.00: Standards of Conduct, Definitions and Severability; a competency is defined as the application of knowledge and the use of affective, cognitive, and psychomotor skills required for the role of a nurse licensed by the Board and for the delivery of safe nursing care in accordance with accepted standards of practice.
Competency is a measurable pattern of knowledge, skills, abilities, behaviors, and other characteristics that an individual needs to perform work roles or occupational functions successfully.
On 5/12/23 at 9:43 A.M., the surveyor observed Nurse #6 prepare and administer medications and an enteral feeding (Isosource) through Resident #108's feeding tube. The surveyor observed Nurse #6 fail to administer the medications per standards of practice and the facility policy and provide the enteral feedings per the physician's order. Specifically, the surveyor did not see Nurse #6 mix the medications with hot water, she did not check for tube placement prior to medication administration, she did not appropriately measure and administer the enteral feeding and flushes as ordered.
During an interview on 5/12/23 at 11:23 A.M., Nurse #6 said she did not follow the orders specifically to use hot water to mix the medications in and used the ice water from her medication cart. She said she should have followed the orders specifically. She said she did not flush with 5 ml of water following each medication because she mixed most of the medications together with about 20 ml of cold water and thought that would cover all the required flushes. She said she should have checked for tube placement prior to medication administration and did not. She said she cannot be sure how much water or Isosource was administered to the Resident in total because she did not measure, but that she should have measured all the fluids to ensure the Resident is getting his/her ordered amount of Isosource and flushes. She said she was new to the facility, had only been there for about two weeks and felt nervous about performing medication and enteral feeding administrations.
On 5/11/23 at 4:30 P.M., the surveyor reviewed Nurse #6's employee file for nursing competencies. The file did not contain the facility's competency for Medication Administration Through a Feeding Tube, Preparation and Administration of Parenteral Nutrition, or the nursing competencies checklist.
During an interview on 5/12/23 at 1:46 P.M., the Director of Nurses (DON) was made aware of the surveyor's observations during medication administration and enteral feeding with Nurse #6. She said Nurse #6 is newer, but not inexperienced and has gone through a full orientation and training program.
During an interview on 05/15/23 at 3:14 P.M., the Staff Development Coordinator (SDC) Nurse said she does not have the completed competencies check list for Nurse #6. She said the missing competencies include medication administration and enteral feeding. The SDC Nurse said the new nurses are given their competency checklist during orientation and they are supposed to have the nurse that is working with them, sign off the competencies as they are completed.
During an interview on 5/15/23 at 3:24 P.M., Nurse #1 said she did work with Nurse #6 during evening shifts, but she did not sign off on any of her competencies. Nurse #1 said if Nurse #6 had any questions on any residents or procedures she would help, but she was not responsible for training her.
During an interview on 5/15/23 at 3:49 P.M., the SDC Nurse said she just found out, in Nurse #6's case, she just went to the scheduler and told her she had completed orientation and was ready to be assigned a regular shift. She said nobody is tracking the new orientees to see if they have completed all their competencies.
During an interview on 05/15/23 at 5:30 P.M., Nurse #7 said she does training and signs off new nurse competencies when they are completed. She said she did work with Nurse #6 five to six times but did not sign off on the medication administration or eternal feeding through the g-tube. She said the competencies stay on the unit in a folder until they are completed then they are given to the SDC Nurse. The surveyor and Nurse #7 went to the North 1 nursing station and Nurse #7 was unable to find any folder that contained competencies for new nurses.
During an interview on 5/17/23 at 5:05 P.M., the SDC nurse said she is unable to find Nurse #6's completed competencies at this time and Nurse #6 is not returning her phone calls.
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Drug Regimen Review
(Tag F0756)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
Based on interview and record review, the facility failed to ensure a recommendation from the consultant pharmacist was acted upon timely for one Resident #119, out of a total sample of 25 residents. ...
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Based on interview and record review, the facility failed to ensure a recommendation from the consultant pharmacist was acted upon timely for one Resident #119, out of a total sample of 25 residents.
Findings include:
Resident #119 was admitted to the facility in September 2022.
Review of the medical record indicated Resident #119 had a medication allergy to Atorvastatin (Lipitor).
Review of the Consultant Pharmacist's Progress Notes indicated recommendations were made for Resident #119 on 1/20/23.
Review of the electronic and paper medical records failed to include the pharmacist's recommendation from 1/20/23.
During an interview on 5/16/23 at 4:00 P.M., the Director of Nurses said she believed she kept copies of the recommendations and would follow up. The 1/20/23 Consultant Pharmacist Recommendations to Prescriber form was provided to the surveyor on 5/16/23 at 5:00 P.M.
Review of the Consultant Pharmacist Recommendations to Prescriber form, dated 1/20/23, indicated Resident #119 had an allergy to Lipitor but was currently receiving Seroquel, to clarify and if no issues have medical staff override allergy. The Consultant Pharmacist Recommendation to Prescriber was a copy and did not indicate a physician response (agree, disagree, other).
Review of the Physician's Orders for Resident #119 failed to include an allergy override of the Lipitor in order to continue to administer the Seroquel.
Review of the Physician's Progress Notes dated 1/20/23, 2/1/23, 3/26/23, 4/7/23, and 4/10/23, did not indicate the recommendation from the pharmacy consultant was reviewed.
During an interview on 5/17/23 at 8:05 A.M., the Director of Nurses said the monthly Consultant Pharmacist Recommendations to Prescriber were sent directly to the Director of Nurses and the Unit Manager. She said the Unit Manager was responsible for ensuring the recommendations were addressed by the physicians. She said she was unable to locate any information to indicate the 1/20/23 recommendation from the consultant pharmacist was reviewed by the physician.
CONCERN
(D)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0808
(Tag F0808)
Could have caused harm · This affected 1 resident
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, record review, and interview, the facility failed to provide a therapeutic diet as ordered by the physicia...
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**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, record review, and interview, the facility failed to provide a therapeutic diet as ordered by the physician for one Resident (#41), out of a total sample of 25 residents.
Findings include:
Resident #41 was admitted to the facility in December 2019 with diagnoses including dysphagia oropharyngeal phase (swallowing problems occurring in the mouth and/or the throat).
Review of the 3/30/23 Minimum Data Set assessment indicated Resident #41's long and short term memory was intact, required supervision with eating, and had dysphagia.
Review of the May 2023 Physician's Orders indicated:
-House diet, puree texture, moderately thick liquids/honey thick liquids consistency (1/2/20)
Review of the most recent Speech Therapy evaluation, dated 1/2/20, indicated Resident #41 had a moderate level of dysphagia with mild risk for aspiration.
Review of the Speech Therapy Discharge summary, dated [DATE], indicated Resident #41 was discharged from therapy on International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative (IDDSI) level 3: moderately thick liquids.
On 5/11/23 at 1:18 P.M., the surveyor observed Resident #41 in his/her room with a lunch tray on the overbed table. Two cans of soda were on the table and an opened/empty packet of mildly thick/nectar consistency instant food thickener was on the table. Resident #41 said that he/she self thickens fluids using the premeasured packets.
Review of a 3/28/23 Dietary note indicated Resident #41 required honey thick consistency liquids for safe swallowing.
Review of interdisciplinary care plans included but was not limited to:
-Problem: Resident has nutritional problem difficulties chewing/swallowing related to dysphagia as evidenced by swallow studies (12/18/19)
-Interventions: Provide, serve diet as ordered: house diet/puree textures/honey thick liquid (12/18/19); Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) to screen and assess resident as needed for diet texture appropriateness (12/18/19)
-Goal: Resident will maintain adequate nutritional status as evidenced by maintaining weight less than 220 pounds and consuming at least 75% of at least two meals daily through the review date (12/19/19)
On 5/16/23 at 12:45 P.M., the surveyor observed Resident #41 sitting in bed. A soda can was on the overbed table and an open packet of mildly thick/nectar consistency instant food thickener was on the table.
During an interview on 5/17/23 at 8:30 A.M., Certified Nursing Assistant #2 said Resident #41 is on her assignment and she is very familiar with him/her. She said up until a few months ago, she would assist the Resident with thickening his/her beverages. She said the Resident likes to add thickener to liquids him/herself is provided packets of thickener to keep in his/her room.
During an interview in Resident #41's room on 5/17/23 at 8:47 A.M., Nurse #3 said the Resident thickens beverages him/herself and keeps the packets in a bureau drawer. She said the Resident likes to drink soda and always has cans available to drink. Resident #41 gave permission for Nurse #3 to open the drawer where he/she stores the thickening packets. Approximately 20 packets of mildly thick/nectar consistency instant food thickener packets were in a cardboard box. Nurse #3 read the packets and confirmed they were mildly thick/nectar consistency and not honey consistency according to physician's orders. She said she was going to remove them right away and provide the Resident the correct consistency.
During an interview on 5/17/23 at 9:40 A.M., the Dietitian said Resident #41 is on a honey thick texture for fluids. She said beverages on meal trays come up from the kitchen already thickened, and any other beverages he/she consumes need to be thickened to a honey consistency.
During an interview on 5/17/23 at 11:15 A.M., the Speech Therapist said Resident #41 has not received therapy since January 2020 and was discharged from services on honey consistency liquids. She reviewed the Resident's evaluation and said the Resident is supposed to be on honey thick liquids for all liquids, even soda which she said he/she likes to drink.
CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0760
(Tag F0760)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
Based on record review and interview, the facility failed to hold the administration of insulin when the capillary blood glucose (CBG) was outside of the physician ordered parameters for one Resident ...
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Based on record review and interview, the facility failed to hold the administration of insulin when the capillary blood glucose (CBG) was outside of the physician ordered parameters for one Resident (#86), out of a total sample of 25 residents. Specifically, the facility failed to hold the administration of insulin 26 times out of 228 administration opportunities from 2/25/23 through 5/15/23.
Findings include:
Resident #86 was admitted to the facility in February 2023 with diagnoses which included type 2 diabetes and dementia.
Review of Resident #86's care plan indicated:
-The Resident has diabetes mellitus
-Administer diabetes medication as ordered by the doctor
-Monitor blood sugars as ordered
Review of the Medication Administration Record (MAR) for February 2023 indicated:
-Humalog (short-acting insulin) Kwik Pen inject 25 units subcutaneously (under the skin) with meals for diabetes effective 2/25/23 through 2/28/23
-Hold for CBG less than 100
-One out of 12 administrations were administered out of parameters on the following dates:
-2/26/23 at 5:00 P.M., CBG of 92
Review of the MAR for March 2023 indicated:
-Humalog Kwik Pen inject 25 units subcutaneously with meals for diabetes effective 3/1/23 through 3/6/23
-Hold for CBG less than 100
-17 administrations were administered correctly.
Review of the MAR for March 2023 indicated:
-Humalog Kwik Pen inject 20 units subcutaneously with meals for diabetes effective 3/7/23 through 3/17/23
-Hold for CBG less than 100
-31 administrations were administered correctly.
Review of the MAR for March 2023 indicated:
-Humalog Kwik Pen inject 15 units subcutaneously with meals for diabetes effective 3/17/23 through 3/20/23
-Hold for CBG less than 140
-Two out of 10 administrations were administered out of parameters on the following dates:
-3/17/23 at 12:00 P.M., CBG of 120
-3/18/23 at 5:00 P.M., CBG of 95
Review of the MAR for March 2023 indicated:
-Humalog Kwik Pen inject 10 units subcutaneously with meals for diabetes effective 3/20/23 through 3/27/23
-Hold for CBG less than 140
-Four out of 21 administrations were administered out of parameters on the following dates:
-3/22/23 at 5:00 P.M., CBG of 134
-3/23/23 at 5:00 P.M., CBG of 139
-3/26/23 at 8:00 A.M., CBG of 133
-3/26/23 at 5:00 P.M., CBG of 132
Review of the MAR for April 2023 indicated:
-Humalog Kwik Pen inject 8 units subcutaneously with meals for diabetes effective 3/27/23 through present
-Hold for a blood sugar of 140 or less
-Fourteen out of 93 administrations were administered out of parameters on the following dates:
-4/4/23 at 7:30 A.M., CBG of 96
-4/4/23 at 11:30 A.M., CBG of 102
-4/6/23 at 7:30 A.M., CBG of 100
-4/6/23 at 11:30 A.M., CBG of 118
-4/7/23 at 7:30 A.M., CBG of 128
-4/7/23 at 11:30 A.M., CBG of 81
-4/7/23 at 4:30 P.M., CBG of 135
-4/18/23 at 4:30 P.M., CBG of 112
-4/21/23 at 4:30 P.M., CBG of 123
-4/22/23 at 4:30 P.M., CBG of 118
-4/25/23 at 7:30 A.M., CBG of 139
-4/25/23 at 11:30 A.M., CBG of 127
-4/27/23 at 4:30 P.M., CBG of 130
-4/29/23 at 11:30 A.M., CBG of 119
Review of the MAR for May 2023 indicated:
-Humalog Kwik Pen inject 8 units subcutaneously with meals for diabetes effective 3/27/23 through present
-Hold for a blood sugar of 140 or less
-Five out of 44 administrations were administered out of parameters on the following dates:
-5/4/23 at 4:30 P.M., CBG of 115
-5/7/23 at 7:30 A.M., CBG of 111
-5/7/23 at 11:30 A.M., CBG of 121
-5/8/23 at 4:30 P.M., CBG of 126
-5/10/23 at 4:30 P.M., CBG of 102
Further review of the MAR's indicated 13 nurses administered insulin to Resident #68 out of the physician ordered parameters.
During an interview on 5/17/23 at 9:45 A.M., Nurse # 11 said if a resident was prescribed short-term acting insulin, the CBG would be checked and the computer indicated how much insulin to administer to the resident. She said Resident #68's insulin would drop to the low range at nighttime, so the physician ordered parameters which indicated not to administer insulin if the CBG was below a certain number. The surveyor and Nurse #11 reviewed Resident #68's MARs for March, April, and May and observed numerous times insulin was administered when the CBG was below 140. Nurse #11 said the MAR indicated the insulin was administered when the nurse checked the box and wrote a note on the delivery route and location.
During an interview on 5/17/23 at 10:01 A.M., the Director of Nurses reviewed Resident #86's MARs and said the nurses should not have administered the insulin outside the physician ordered parameters.
CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Food Safety
(Tag F0812)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, policy review, and interview, the facility failed to ensure 4 of 5 nourishment kitchenettes were maintaine...
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**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observation, policy review, and interview, the facility failed to ensure 4 of 5 nourishment kitchenettes were maintained in a sanitary manner to prevent potential illness or contamination of food. Specifically, the facility failed to:
1. Ensure foods brought in from the outside were labeled, dated, and discarded timely; and
2. Maintain kitchenette refrigerators, freezers, microwaves, counters, drawers, and cabinets in a clean sanitary manner.
Findings include:
1. Review of the facility policy titled: Foods brought in by family/visitor/residents, dated as reviewed 1/2023, indicated but was not limited to the following:
- the purpose of this policy is to ensure food safety for residents
- food or beverages must be labeled and dated to monitor for food safety
- foods must be stored in a clean, covered, container and/or securely wrapped, labeled with resident's name, room number and date food was cooked or stored
- foods with manufacturer expiration dates must be labeled with the resident's name and will be thrown away after they have passed the manufacturer date
- other foods and beverages will be labeled upon arrival to the facility and thrown away three days of date marked
On 5/17/23 at 7:49 A.M., the surveyor observed signs posted in the unit and activity room kitchenettes that indicated the following:
-Refrigerator is for resident food only. No staff food. Per regulation all food must be labeled and dated, or it will be thrown out.
During an interview on 5/17/23 at 9:25 A.M., the Food Service Director (FSD) said Dietary is responsible for maintaining the kitchenette freezer, refrigerator, ice bins, and stocking of snacks. He said when food is brought in it is to be labeled with a date and resident's name and discarded after three days.
During a tour of the kitchenettes with the FSD on 5/17/23, the surveyor made the following observations:
9:25 A.M. South 1 kitchenette:
- a clear plastic container of watermelon, in the refrigerator, labeled with the resident's name but no date of expiration or when item was brought in
- an open box of Dominos granulated sugar, unlabeled and undated, not in a sealed container or wrapped, that had hardened in the cabinet
- a [NAME] Donut's bag wrapped tightly around a donut that was unlabeled and undated
- a white paper bag containing food, in the refrigerator, unlabeled and undated
- a small brown box of food, labeled with a resident's name and date of 5/12/23
The FSD discarded all items as they were not labeled or dated or outside of their date range and said the small box should have been thrown away on 5/15/23 per the policy.
9:41 A.M. North 2 kitchenette:
- a box of Dole peach fruit cups, in the cabinet, labeled with the resident's name and manufacturer's date of 3/27/23
- in the refrigerator, a clear plastic container which held three cupcakes, labeled with a resident's name but no date
- a clear plastic container unlabeled, with an illegible expiration date
The FSD threw all items in the trash and said they did not meet the policy guidelines for storing resident food.
9:48 A.M. South 2 kitchenette:
- a Styrofoam plate of food on the top shelf in the cabinet, unlabeled and undated
- an open individual sized applesauce container on the door of the refrigerator, unlabeled and undated
- a plastic bag containing food, unlabeled and undated in the refrigerator
- a brown paper bag in the refrigerator, containing an empty reusable food container, apple and a knife, unlabeled and undated
The FSD threw all items in the trash and said they did not meet the policy guidelines for storing resident food and said the plate of food on the shelf was from an event the day before and should not have been stored in the kitchenette.
2. During an interview on 5/17/23 at 7:55 A.M., Dietary Aide #3 said dietary staff stock all the kitchenettes and check the refrigerator and freezer for temperatures and cleanliness and housekeeping was responsible for cleaning the actual kitchenette to the best of her knowledge unless the process has changed.
During an interview on 5/17/23 at 9:25 A.M., the FSD said Dietary is responsible for maintaining the kitchenette freezer, refrigerator, ice bins, and stocking of snacks. He said his belief was that housekeeping cleaned all aspects of the kitchenettes otherwise.
During a tour of the kitchenettes with the FSD on 5/17/23, the surveyor made the following observations:
9:25 A.M. South 1 kitchenette:
- the microwave had splattered food debris inside, and an approximate 1 1/2-inch area in the top left interior corner of cracked paint that was bubbled up and flaking with dark brown edges
- counter in front of the sink with a hard, dry orange substance that had dripped over the counter edge
- bins holding plastic utensils that were not individually wrapped with food debris and crumbs in the bin touching the eating surface of the plastic silverware
- bin that holds cookies and crackers had loose cookies and the bottom had numerous crumbs in the corners
9:41 A.M. North 2 kitchenette:
- drawer that holds condiments/silverware bins with food and crumb debris and dark brown substance in the back corner
- front of drawer that holds plastic utensils had a thick, dark brown sticky substance in the crease in between the silverware bin and drawer edge
- interior cabinets above sink that stored snacks were dirty with what appears to be yellow stains and spattered food on the shelves and walls of the cabinet
- evidence of spills in the refrigerator
9:46 A.M. 2nd Floor Activity Room fridge:
- dried, red sticky substance in the bottom of the refrigerator and on all levels of shelves
- yellow dried substance in the bottom of the freezer section
- two personal ice cube trays including silicone shaped ice cube trays that did not contain ice cubes, but had a dry light-yellow powder like debris in the freezer
- two ice cube trays of ice cubes in the freezer that appeared to have an unclear light-yellow substance on top of the ice cubes and on the trays
The FSD said the kitchen staff are not involved with cleaning or maintaining the fridge in the activity room at all and the unit needed to be cleaned. He said the kitchen provided house stock beverages and snacks to the activity room.
9:48 A.M. South 2 kitchenette
- cabinets where snacks were stored had shelves and walls with evidence of splattered food debris
- refrigerator had evidence of yellow substance drippage that had dried on the refrigerator door and numerous crumbs and debris in the bottom of the refrigerator
The FSD said that the nourishment kitchenettes do not appear to have been cleaned recently and the microwave on South 1 required replacement. He said the nourishment kitchenettes require more attention for food and supplies to be maintained in a more sanitary way.
During an interview on 5/17/23 at 10:07 A.M., the Administrator was made aware of the surveyor's and FSD's observations and said the process needed to be adjusted to maintain things in a better way.
CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Infection Control
(Tag F0880)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
Based on observation, interview, and policy review, the facility failed to maintain a safe, sanitary and comfortable environment to help prevent the development and transmission of communicable diseas...
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Based on observation, interview, and policy review, the facility failed to maintain a safe, sanitary and comfortable environment to help prevent the development and transmission of communicable diseases and infections. Specifically, the facility failed to:
1. For Resident #66, ensure intravenous tubing connections were disinfected prior to the administration of medication, per facility policy;
2. For Resident #108,
a. Ensure staff changed their personal protective equipment in between tasks for the same Resident that could result in the introductions of hazardous germs into the system,
b. Ensure staff stored an enteral irrigation syringe in a manner to prevent environmental debris and germs from contaminating it in between uses, and
c. Ensure enteral food was labeled and dated per facility policy; and
3. Ensure hand hygiene was performed during medication pass administration.
Findings include:
1. Review of the facility's policy titled Intermittent Medication Administration, dated January 2022, indicated but was not limited to the following:
- purpose of this policy is to safely administer intermittent intravenous (IV) infusions of medications or solutions to a resident
- vigorously scrub needleless connector with an alcohol swab using friction and a twisting motion for 15 seconds, allow to air dry, attach prescribed flush and confirm patency
- vigorously scrub needleless connector with alcohol swab, using friction and a twisting motion for 15 seconds, allow to air dry, and connect primed administration set tubing
Resident #66 was admitted to the facility in April 2023 with a diagnosis of extradural and subdural abscess (an infection in the epidural and subdural spaces anywhere within the brain and spinal cord).
Review of the medical record indicated Resident #66 had a single lumen peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) in his/her right upper extremity (RUE) for IV antibiotic administration.
Review of the current May 2023 Physician's Orders for Resident #66 indicated but was not limited to the following:
- Cefazolin 2 grams intravenously every eight hours at midnight, 8:00 A.M., and 4:00 P.M.
- Flush procedure for valved catheter: flush with 10 milliliters (ml) normal saline (NS) before medication administration and 10 ml of NS after medication administration.
During a medication administration observation on 5/12/23 at 9:23 A.M., the surveyor observed the following:
- Nurse #6 performed hand hygiene (HH) using alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR), put on an isolation gown and gloves
- Nurse #6 observed the RUE PICC line insertion site for Resident #66 and said it looked to be free of signs and symptoms of infection and verified the dressing was in good condition and dated
- Nurse # 6 verified the medication for the Resident and spiked the IV antibiotic with the IV tubing and primed the tubing ensuring no bubbles were in the tubing
- Nurse #6 covered the end of the primed tubing and hung the antibiotic on the IV pole, removed her gloves, performed HH with ABHR and put on new gloves
- Nurse # 6 removed the cap from the end of Resident #66's PICC line tubing and scrubbed the end (hub) of the tubing for 3-5 seconds with an alcohol wipe
- The line was flushed with a syringe of NS; the nurse disconnected the NS syringe and immediately attached the primed IV antibiotic tubing to the hub of the PICC line
Nurse #6 was not observed to scrub the hub of the PICC line after flushing the line with NS, nor was she observed to scrub the hub for the necessary time frame to prevent potential germs from entering the blood system (15 seconds).
During an interview on 5/12/23 at 1:46 P.M., the Director of Nurses (DON) was made aware of the surveyor's observations of the IV medication administration and said Nurse #6 should have scrubbed the hub of the PICC line for a minimum of 15 seconds before the flush with NS and after, prior to the administration of the medication per the policy and general standard of practice. She said her expectations were not met and good infection control practices were not followed per the policy when Nurse #6 administering IV medications to Resident #66.
2a. Review of the facility's policy titled Transmission-Based Precautions, dated 5/2023, indicated but was not limited to the following:
- Enhanced Barrier Precautions (EBP) expand the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and refers to the use of both gloves and a gown during high contact care activities which provide opportunity for germs to transfer onto staff hands and clothing.
- residents with indwelling medical devices or wounds are at high risk for acquiring and becoming colonized with a multi-drug resistant organism
- examples of high contact care includes, but is not limited to: providing hygiene, changing linens, assisting with toileting needs, and device care - including a feeding tube.
Resident #108 was admitted to the facility in May 2023 with diagnoses including: unspecified intestinal obstruction, malignant neoplasm of the mouth, and a new colostomy.
Review of the medical record indicated Resident #108 was on EBP and had a feeding tube in place as well as a new colostomy.
On 5/12/23 at 10:00 A.M., the surveyor observed the following:
- Nurse #6 performed HH with ABHR and put on a gown and gloves to perform colostomy care for Resident #108
- Nurse #6 used a cloth with warm water to remove feces from the skin and stoma (a surgically created opening in the body)
- Nurse #6 assisted the Resident with changing his/her clothing and bedding, which was soiled with feces, and then placed a new ostomy appliance on the Resident
- Nurse #6 removed her gloves, performed HH with ABHR, and put on new gloves
- Nurse #6 then began the process of administering medications through a feeding tube, without changing her gown
During an interview on 5/12/23 at 11:23 A.M., Nurse #6 said she should have changed her gown in between providing colostomy care and administering medications through a feeding tube and it created an infection control concern for germs to potentially enter the tube.
b. Review of the facility's policy titled Preventing and identifying enteral feeding complications, dated as reviewed: September 2022, indicated but was not limited to the following:
Bacterial contamination may be prevented by:
- use proper infection control techniques
- all enteral feedings and supplies used, (including irrigation syringe), must be labeled and dated with the nurse's initials
Review of the current May 2023 Physician Orders for Resident #108 indicated but was not limited to the following:
- Change enteral irrigation syringe daily and date the syringe (3/17/23)
On 5/12/23 at 10:29 A.M., the surveyor observed Nurse #6 use an irrigation syringe, that was unlabeled and sitting on the windowsill in the room to administer medications and enteral feedings to Resident #108.
During an interview on 5/12/23 at 11:23 A.M., Nurse #6 said the irrigation syringe she used to perform the tasks of medication administration and enteral feeding was unlabeled and on the windowsill of the room and believes it is from the 3:00 P.M. to 11:00 P.M., shift the day prior, as she had worked and said she believes she put it there. She said she brought a new irrigation syringe in with her but did not think it appeared to be compatible and did not want to leave the room again to get supplies and decided to use the old one. She said she should have used a new labeled and dated syringe to provide care to the Resident.
During an interview on 5/12/23 at 1:46 P.M., the DON said the nurse should have used a labeled and dated irrigation syringe or a new irrigation syringe to provide care to the Resident and using an unlabeled syringe from the windowsill was an infection control concern for bacteria growth.
c. Review of the facility's policy titled Preventing and Identifying Enteral Feeding Complications, dated September 2022, indicated but was not limited to the following:
Bacterial contamination may be prevented by:
- Use proper infection control techniques.
- All enteral feedings and supplies used, (including irrigation syringe), must be labeled and dated with the nurse's initials.
On 5/11/23 at 10:53 A.M., the surveyor observed on Resident #108's dresser a bag of Isosource 1.5 cal (calorie) which was approximately 1/3 full, laying on top of a pull-up under garment, a pair of green hospital socks, and two open light blue under garments. The bag was not labeled, dated with the nurse's initials.
The bag of Isosource 1.5 cal bag indicated the following information:
-For tube feeding only
-Directions for use:
Use for a maximum of 48 hours after connection when proper technique is followed.
During an interview on 5/11/23 at 10:53 A.M., Resident #108 said they poured his/her food out of the bag of food on his/her dresser.
During an interview on 05/15/23 at 5:30 P.M., the Director of Nurses (DON) said she removed the bag of food left on top of the dresser on 5/11/23. She said her expectations would be that the bag is labeled and stored in the medication cart or the medication room.
3a. Resident #122 was admitted to the facility in April 2023 with diagnoses including gastrostomy status, encounter for surgical aftercare following surgery of the digestive system.
On 5/16/23 at 8:23 A.M., the surveyor observed Nurse #8 administer medications to the Resident. The surveyor did not observe Nurse #8 perform hand hygiene: before pouring medications, before entering the room, after medications had been administered, and prior to leaving the Resident's room.
During an interview on 5/16/23 at 11:55 A.M., Nurse #8 said she forgot to perform hand hygiene during the administration of the Resident's medications.
b. Resident #112 was admitted to the facility in March 2022 with diagnoses including anxiety disorder and gastroesophageal reflux disease without esophagitis.
On 5/16/23 at 9:20 A.M., the surveyor observed Nurse #3 administer medications to Resident #112. The surveyor did not observe Nurse #3 perform hand hygiene: before pouring medications, before entering the room, after medications had been administered, and prior to leaving the Resident's room.
During an interview on 5/16/23 at 12:25 P.M., Nurse #3 said she forgot to perform hand hygiene during the administration of the Resident's medications.
During an interview on 5/16/23 at 12:33 P.M., the Assistant Director of Nursing said handwashing should be performed before pouring medications, before entering the room, after medications have been administered, and/or before leaving the Resident's room.
During an interview on 5/17/23 at 4:20 P.M., the DON said it was a breech in infection control.
CONCERN
(E)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Antibiotic Stewardship
(Tag F0881)
Could have caused harm · This affected multiple residents
2. Resident #24 was admitted to the facility in May 2022.
Review of the care plans for Resident #24 indicated the Resident had a history of recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI) and received antib...
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2. Resident #24 was admitted to the facility in May 2022.
Review of the care plans for Resident #24 indicated the Resident had a history of recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI) and received antibiotic therapy prophylactically.
Review of the current Physician's Orders indicated Resident #24 had an order for Keflex 250 mg (milligrams) to be given one time per day prophylactically for UTI. The order was initiated on 6/8/22 (11 months prior) and did not include an end date.
Review of the manufacture's guidelines for use indicated prolonged use of Keflex may result in the overgrowth of non-susceptible organisms.
During an interview on 5/16/23 at 12:05 P.M., the Infection Control Nurse (ICN) said the facility did not really have any long-term care residents on prophylactic antibiotics. She said if a physician ordered a prophylactic antibiotic she did not review this with the physicians as she did not like to tell the physician what to do.
During a continued interview at 2:22 P.M., the ICN said she was unaware Resident #24 was on an antibiotic as the Resident was not showing up on the antibiotic report she pulls from the electronic medical record system. She said she had been reviewing antibiotic use at the facility for the previous two months and was unaware of the prophylactic use of antibiotics for Resident #24. The ICN added the facility did not have a policy that addressed the extended use (prophylactic use) of antibiotics.
During an interview on 5/16/23 at 2:40 P.M., the Director of Nurses said the expectation was for the physician (or physician extension) to review the indefinite use of a prophylactic and thought the Nurse Practitioner for Resident #24 had reviewed the continued use.
During an interview on 5/16/23 at 3:20 P.M., the Nurse Practitioner (NP) said Resident #24 had previously been on prophylactic antibiotics in the community (prior to the admission to the facility in May 2022) and had requested to be placed on the antibiotic again for UTI prevention. The NP said the most recent data, approximately six months ago, indicated prophylactic antibiotics for UTI were not effective for more than three to six months and had been slowly learning about this and had started following this guidance at other facilities. She said she had not received any recommendations from the facility pharmacy consultant on the prophylactic use of antibiotics and found this odd, as she had received recommendations from other facility pharmacy consultants regarding prophylactic antibiotic use. She said she and the physician had not had a chance to re-evaluate the continued use of the antibiotic beyond the recommended time frame for Resident #24.
Based on interview, record review, and policy review, the facility failed to implement their Antibiotic Stewardship program and ensure antimicrobial medications were used for an acceptable and prescribed indication and duration of time for two Residents (#15 and #24), in a total sample of 25 residents.
Findings include:
Review of the facility's policy titled Antibiotic Stewardship Program, dated September 2022, indicated the mission of the program was to provide the best antibiotic therapy (right dose, drug, and duration) to residents that results in the best outcome with the least amount of toxicity and resistance. In addition, the policy indicated:
-The Infection Control Nurse (ICN) will be responsible for infection surveillance and Multidrug Resistant Organism (MDRO) tracking.
The ICN and will collect and review the following data:
a. Type of antibiotic ordered, route of administration, and cost.
b. Whether the order was made by phone, if the order was given by the attending physician or on-call physician/physician extender.
c. Whether tests such as cultures were obtained prior to ordering antibiotics.
d. Whether the antibiotic was changed during the course of treatment.
e. Whether the resident infection report was completed, and resident met the criteria before antibiotic use.
f. Feedback will be given to physician/physician extenders by the team on their individual prescribing patterns of cultures ordered and antibiotics prescribed, as indicated.
Review of the facility's policy titled Antibiotic Stewardship Program Orders, dated September 2022, indicated but was not limited to the following:
-Antibiotics will be prescribed and administered to residents under the guidance of the facility's Antibiotic Stewardship Program
-Prescribers will provide complete antibiotic orders including: drug name, dose, frequency, duration of treatment, start and stop date (or number of days of therapy) and indications for use.
-Appropriate indications for use of antibiotics include: criteria met for clinical definition of active infection or suspected sepsis and pathogen susceptibility, based on culture and sensitivity.
Review of the American Urological Association Recurrent Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infections Guideline, dated 2022 indicated the following:
-Even transient use of antibiotics can affect the carriage of resistant organisms and impact the endemic level of resistance in the population.
-The potential harms related to acquiring an antibiotic resistant infection should be factored into the decision for antibiotic prophylaxis for Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) prevention.
-In clinical practice, the duration of prophylaxis can be variable, from three to six months to one year, with periodic assessment and monitoring.
1. Resident #15 was admitted to the facility in February 2022 with diagnoses including chronic kidney disease.
Review of the medical record indicated Resident #15 had two recurrent UTIs within a month, and the physician ordered Cephalexin Suspension Reconstituted 125 milligrams (mg)/milliliters (ml); give 5 ml by mouth one time a day for UTI prophylaxis (4/7/22).
Further review of the medical record indicated Resident #15 developed five UTIs, one episode of community acquired pneumonia and developed a multidrug-resistant infection in his/her stool while being administered prophylactic Cephalexin as follows:
-On 9/12/22, the prophylactic Cephalexin was put on hold, and intravenous Meropenem (antibiotic) was administered for 5 days (9/12/22 through 9/17/22) for the treatment of a UTI. The Cephalexin then resumed when the course of Meropenem had been completed.
-On 10/24/22, prophylactic Cephalexin was put on hold, and Augmentin (antibiotic) was administered for 7 days (10/24/22 through 10/31/22) for the treatment of a UTI. The Cephalexin then resumed when the course of Augmentin had been completed.
-On 2/16/23, prophylactic Cephalexin was put on hold, and Ciprofloxacin (antibiotic) was administered for 5 days (2/16/23 through 2/21/23) for the treatment of a UTI. The Cephalexin then resumed when the course of Ciprofloxacin had been completed.
-On 3/6/23, prophylactic Cephalexin was put on hold, and Tetracycline was administered for 7 days (3/6/23 through 3/13/23) for the treatment of a UTI. The Cephalexin then resumed when the course of Tetracycline had been completed.
-On 4/10/23, Amoxicillin 875 mg every 12 hours for 5 days and Azithromycin 500 mg one time only and 250 mg daily for 4 days was initiated to treat community acquired pneumonia. Orders for Cephalexin remained in place.
Review of a 4/14/23 Medical Note indicated Resident #15 told the physician/physician extender that he/she was experiencing multiple episodes of diarrhea since the previous morning. The clinician ordered a stool culture to rule out c.diff due to antibiotic use (clostridium difficile colitis results from disruption of normal healthy bacteria in the colon, often from antibiotics).
Review of 4/21/23 stool culture results indicated Resident #15 did not have c.diff, but had developed enterococcus faecium in his/her stool. According to the Centers for Disease Control, Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE) in Healthcare Settings (November 13, 2019), is a multidrug resistant organism and those most likely to be infected include people who have been previously treated with antibiotics for long periods of time. The laboratory results indicated the infection was sensitive to Linezolid (antimicrobial drug used to treat VRE) and the physician initiated a 14-day course of Linezolid 600 mg daily. The order for prophylactic Cephalexin remained in place.
Review of the American Urological Association Recurrent Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infections Guideline, dated 2022 indicated the following:
-The potential harms related to acquiring an antibiotic resistant infection should be factored into the decision for antibiotic prophylaxis for UTI prevention.
-On 5/1/23, prophylactic Cephalexin was put on hold, and Ciprofloxacin was initiated for 5 days to treat a UTI. The Cephalexin was resumed when the completion of the course of Ciprofloxacin was completed.
During an interview on 5/16/23 at 1:40 P.M., the Infection Control Nurse said she does not keep a list of residents who are receiving prophylactic antibiotics. She said that the resident information would be added to the line listing when the antibiotic was started, but she does not perform any routine monitoring/documentation/oversight for these residents after the initiation of the prophylactic antibiotic. The Infection Control Nurse said she was not aware that Resident #15 had been on prophylactic Cephalexin for a UTI since April 2022.
During an interview on 5/16/23 at 2:40 P.M., the Director of Nurses said the expectation was for the physician (or physician extender) to review the indefinite use of a prophylactic antibiotic. She said if a resident is on long term antibiotics, but still has UTIs, the antibiotic treatment isn't effective and should be reviewed by the physician.
During an interview on 5/16/23 at 3:20 P.M., the Nurse Practitioner said the most recent data, approximately six months ago, indicated prophylactic antibiotics for UTIs were not effective for more than three to six months and had been slowly learning about this. She said she and the physician have been reducing long term prophylactic antibiotic use in other buildings, but haven't started at this facility yet.
CONCERN
(F)
Potential for Harm - no one hurt, but risky conditions existed
Deficiency F0809
(Tag F0809)
Could have caused harm · This affected most or all residents
Based on observations, interviews, and review of the meal truck delivery schedule, the facility failed to offer a nourishing evening snack when there was a greater than 14 hours between dinner and bre...
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Based on observations, interviews, and review of the meal truck delivery schedule, the facility failed to offer a nourishing evening snack when there was a greater than 14 hours between dinner and breakfast service.
Findings include:
During the Resident Group meeting held on 5/12/23 1:30 P.M., with 14 residents, the overall concern expressed by the group was evening snacks were not offered or available. Residents in the group specifically said the following:
-They never have snacks available.
-There are no snacks available at night.
-If you want ginger ale or a snack you can have the nurses get them if there are some available.
-The dietitian said there are no snacks at nighttime because you guys eat them all during the day.
-They used to have a hostess that made sure snacks were always available, now that there is no hostess and we run out of snacks all the time.
-They do not offer nighttime snacks and he/she said he/she has become hypoglycemic (low sugar) in the night.
-They run out of ice cream at night.
-They run out of juice at night.
Review of the Food Truck Delivery Times, undated, provided by the Food Service Director indicated there was 14 hours and 50 minutes between dinner and breakfast service.
Dinner schedule:
SSU (North 1)- 4:40 P.M.
North 1 - 4:50 P.M.
North 1 - 5:00 P.M.
South 2 - 5:10 P.M.
South 2 - 5:20 P.M.
North 2- 5:30 P.M.
North 2- 5:40 P.M.
Breakfast schedule:
SSU (North 1) 7:30 A.M.
North 1- 7:40 A.M.
North 1- 7:50 A.M.
South 2- 8:00 A.M.
South 2- 8:10 A.M.
North 2- 8:20 A.M.
North 2- 8:30 A.M.
Review of the facility provided Hostess Stock List for the kitchenettes included the following foods:
-2 Ginger ale
-2 Diet Ginger ale
-2 Cranberry Juices
-1 Diet Cranberry Juice
-2 Apple Juices
-6 Yogurts
-1 Peanut Butter
-1 Jelly
-3 Apple Sauces cases of the packs
-1 Whole Wheat Bread
-Bagels / English muffins
-1 Country [NAME] Bread
-2 Orange Juices
-1 Ice cream case (different flavors) and Magic Cups
-Unsalted Saltine Crackers
-Graham Crackers
-Cookies assorted
-Condiments: Salt/pepper, ketchup, mustard, etc .
-Tea bags
On 5/15/23 at 1:15 P.M., the surveyor observed North 1, North 2, and South 2 kitchenettes and they were very sparsely stocked with snacks and food. Specifically, the following observations were made:
-No bread, no peanut butter, and jelly in only one kitchenette.
-Each kitchenette had one plastic container which was approximately one quarter filled with saltine crackers and 2-3 packages of individually wrapped cookies.
-North 1 had one sandwich in the refrigerator supplied by the kitchen. There were no sandwiches available on North 2 and South 2.
-South 2 and North 2 had three individual size containers of cereal in the cabinet; North 1 had no cereal available.
During an interview on 5/17/23 at 2:15 P.M., the Food Service Director said he was aware through the Resident Council meetings the snack supply was lacking at night. He said the person who stocked the kitchenettes leaves at 2:00 P.M., and they weren't getting the kitchenettes re-stocked for the evenings. He said he would expect the nurses to serve snacks and there should be some protein component to the snacks, especially for the diabetics.
MINOR
(C)
Minor Issue - procedural, no safety impact
Transfer Notice
(Tag F0623)
Minor procedural issue · This affected most or all residents
2. Resident #108 was admitted to the facility in January 2023 with diagnoses of cancer, malnutrition, and intestinal (stomach) obstruction.
Review of the medical record indicated Resident #108 was tra...
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2. Resident #108 was admitted to the facility in January 2023 with diagnoses of cancer, malnutrition, and intestinal (stomach) obstruction.
Review of the medical record indicated Resident #108 was transferred to the hospital on 3/29/23, 4/5/23, and 4/24/23.
Further review of the medical record failed to indicate transfer notices for the above dates were issued to the Resident or Resident Representative as required.
3. Resident #122 was admitted to the facility in February 2023 with diagnoses of malnutrition, failure to thrive, and metastatic cancer.
Review of the medical record indicated Resident #122 was transferred to the hospital on 2/6/23, 2/17/23, 3/3/23, and 3/29/23.
Further review of the medical record failed to indicate transfer notices for the above dates were issued to the Resident or Resident Representative as required.
During an interview on 5/17/23 at 10:50 A.M., the Director of Social Services said she is not responsible for providing transfer notices to Residents or their Representatives. She said the Admissions office does that.
During an interview on 5/17/23 at 10:53 A.M., the admission Coordinator said she does not provide transfer notices to Residents or their Representatives. She said she does not know who does but will try to find out.
During an interview on 5/17/23 at 11:55 P.M., the Administrator said the admission Coordinator is responsible for providing residents and their representatives transfer notices but has not been doing them. He said when the former admission Coordinator left six months ago, the new admission Coordinator was not informed the transfer notices were her responsibility. He said the facility has not been in compliance with the regulation since the former admission Coordinator left.
Based on record review and interview, the facility failed to ensure its staff issued transfer notices to one Resident (#138) or their Resident Representative of three closed records and two Residents (#108 and #122) or their Resident Representatives, out of a total sample of 25 residents.
Findings include:
1. Resident #138 was admitted to the facility in October 2021 and had an activated Health Care Proxy.
Review of the medical record indicated Resident #138 was transferred to the hospital on 1/2/23, 2/17/23, and 2/24/23.
Further review of the medical record failed to indicate transfer notices for the above dates were issued to the Resident or Resident Representative as required.
MINOR
(C)
Minor Issue - procedural, no safety impact
Deficiency F0625
(Tag F0625)
Minor procedural issue · This affected most or all residents
2. Resident #108 was admitted to the facility in January 2023 with diagnoses of cancer, malnutrition, and intestinal (stomach) obstruction.
Review of the medical record indicated Resident #108 was tra...
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2. Resident #108 was admitted to the facility in January 2023 with diagnoses of cancer, malnutrition, and intestinal (stomach) obstruction.
Review of the medical record indicated Resident #108 was transferred to the hospital on 3/29/23, 4/5/23, and 4/24/23.
Further review of the medical record failed to indicate bed hold notices for the above dates were issued to the Resident or Resident Representative as required.
3. Resident #122 was admitted to the facility in February 2023 with diagnoses of malnutrition, failure to thrive, and metastatic cancer.
Review of the medical record indicated Resident #122 was transferred to the hospital on 2/6/23, 2/17/23, 3/3/23, and 3/29/23.
Further review of the medical record failed to indicate bed hold notices for the above dates were issued to the Resident or Resident Representative as required.
During an interview on 5/17/23 at 10:50 A.M., the Director of Social Services said she is not responsible for providing bed hold notices to Residents or their Representatives. She said the Admissions office does that.
During an interview on 5/17/23 at 10:53 A.M., the admission Coordinator said she does not provide bed hold notices to Residents or their Representatives. She said she does not know who does but will try to find out.
During an interview on 5/17/23 at 11:55 P.M., the Administrator said the admission Coordinator is responsible for providing residents and their representatives bed hold notices but has not been doing them. He said when the former Admissions Coordinator left six months ago, the new admission Coordinator was not informed the bed hold notices were her responsibility. He said the facility has not been in compliance with the regulation since the former admission Coordinator left.
Based on record review and interview, the facility failed to ensure that its staff issued bed hold notices to one Resident (#138) or their Resident Representative of three closed records and two Residents (#108 and #122) or their Resident Representatives, out of a total sample of 25 residents.
Findings include:
1. Resident #138 was admitted to the facility in October 2021 and had an activated Health Care Proxy.
Review of the medical record indicated Resident #138 was transferred to the hospital on 1/2/23, 2/17/23, and 2/24/23.
Further review of the medical record failed to indicate bed hold notices for the above dates were issued to the Resident or Resident Representative as required.