Residential Survey Update

Thirty-three (33) tags were cited in surveys of residential care facilities in April, 28 of which were Deficiency tags and the remaining 5 were Offense tags.  The top citation for April was Tag 217, cited 5 times, concerning identification and documentation of services to be provided to residents following completion of a resident evaluation.  Documentation of the scope, frequency, need, and preference for services is necessary, and it also must be signed and dated by the resident.  If administration of medications or provision of residential nursing services are needed, a licensed nurse must be involved with identification and documentation of the services to be provided.  In addition, 3 citations were issued for Tag 214, another resident evaluation tag concerning initiation of an evaluation prior to admission and upon a change of condition after admission.  A licensed nurse must also be involved to evaluate the nursing needs of the resident.

Several tags were issued in April regarding medication administration, labeling, and storage.  Tag 241 was cited 3 times due to failure to have medication administered either by licensed personnel or by a QMA.   Tag 246 was cited 2 times for failure to ensure that each PRN medication administered by a QMA is authorized by either a nurse or physician.  Tag 301 was cited once due to failure to properly label prescription drugs with the resident’s full name, physician’s name, prescription number, name and strength of drug, directions for use, date of issue and expiration (when applicable), and the name and address of the pharmacy that filled the prescription.  Tag 304 was also cited once for failure to ensure medication storage areas/cabinets are locked at all times unless authorized personnel are present.

Citations were also issued in April in the Sanitation & Safety Standards area, for a total of 11 of the month’s 33 tags.  Citations ranged from failure to keep grounds and facilities clean and good state of repair to failure to have an effective waste disposal program in place.  Tag 90 was also cited three times in April for failure to ensure that the Administrator inform the ISDH within 24 hours of an unusual occurrence that threatens the health or safety of a resident.

A summary of the April Residential Care Facility Tags can be found in the Members Only section of the IHCA website.