Benton County Health Department Home Health Agency

The home health provider failed to ensure that all medications the patient was taking were current in one of three home visit observation records reviewed (Record/Patient #3).

The agency failed to ensure one contracted staff was provided orientation and/or biennial Emergency Preparedness training consistent with their expected roles in one of seven personnel files reviewed (Employee #3).

The home health provider failed to follow accepted standards of practice, including the use of standard precautions, to prevent the transmission of infections and communicable diseases in, but not limited to, one of three home visit observations conducted (Record/Patient #1).

The agency failed to maintain a coordinated agency-wide infection control program that included infection control education for a contracted staff which affected one (Employee #3) of five employee files reviewed.

The home health provider failed to ensure the registered nurse performed an accurate review/update of all medications the patient was currently using in, but not limited to, two of five full records reviewed (Records/Patients #1 and #2).

The home health provider failed to alert the physician to any changes that suggest the plan of care should be altered in two of five full records reviewed (Records/Patients #2 and #3).

The home health provider failed to ensure services were provided as ordered by the physician as indicated in the plan of care in two of five full records reviewed (Records/Patients #2 and #3).

The agency failed to ensure staff were provided with agency in-service training in one of seven employee files reviewed (Employee #3).

The agency failed to ensure all staff had the Employee Disqualification List (EDL) checked prior to hire for two of seven employee files reviewed (Employee #3, and #6,) and failed to ensure all staff had the Family Care Safety Registry (FCSR) checked prior to date of first patient contact, in one…

The agency failed to ensure that accepted standards of practice to prevent transmission of infection was used during the provision of wound care in one (Record/Patient #1) of three home visit observations.

The registered nurse (RN) or other appropriate agency skilled staff/case manager (CM) failed to provide an individualized, patient specific home health aide plan of care in, but not limited to, two (Record/Patient #2 and #3) of three applicable records reviewed.

The agency failed to complete the initial assessment of the patient within 48 hours of the referral, or within 48 hours of the patient's return home, or on the physician ordered start of care date in one (Patient/Record #5) of five complete records reviewed.

The agency failed to ensure an accurate medication reconciliation was completed in, but not limited to, two (Record/Patient #2 and #3) of five full records reviewed.

The agency failed to ensure that each patients' written individualized care plan included all the required items in, but not limited to, three (Record/Patient #2, #3, and #5) of five records reviewed.

The agency failed to include all patient care orders on the plan of care in one (Record/Patient #1) of five full records reviewed.

The agency failed to ensure patient/caregiver education was provided in, but not limited to, one (Record/Patient #5) of five records reviewed.

The home health failed to ensure that the home health aide documented/provided care as directed on the aide care plan in two (Record/Patient #2 and #3) of three applicable records.