HIQA critical of Longford nursing home's care delivery and infection control
The Health Information and Quality Authority carried out an unannounced inspection of Our Lady’s Manor Nursing Home on March 31 last.
A HIQA inspection has found a Edgeworthstown designated care centre for older people was ‘non compliant’ in a number of areas and not effective in relation to ‘care delivery and safety from infection’
The Health Information and Quality Authority carried out an unannounced inspection of Our Lady’s Manor Nursing Home on March 31 last.
The regulatory areas that were non-compliant included governance and management and individual assessment and care plans.
On the day of the inspection, 50 residents of all dependency levels, needing long-term, short-term convalescence and respite care, were present at the 24-hour facility.
The inspection lasted nine hours, taking place from 9am in the morning until 5pm in the evening, and found the facility to be non-compliant in two of 13 regulations assessed.
Our Lady’s Manor Nursing Home had a mixed report and was found to be 'non compliant' in two regulatory areas, 'substantially compliant' in seven areas and 'compliant' in four regulatory areas.
The centre provides 24 hour nursing care for persons aged over 18 years. Residents’ accommodation is provided over three floor levels in 36 single bedrooms, 10 twin bedrooms and one bedroom with three beds.
Overall, most residents were content with living in the designated centre and the feedback from residents to the inspector was positive regarding the care they received, and mostly positive regarding their quality of life.
Following introductions, the inspector completed a walk around the centre and observed that many of residents were already up and eating breakfast, while others were preparing to get up either by themselves or with the assistance of staff.
However, the area of 'governance and management' was one of two areas that failed to meet the specific national standards or regulations.
The report stated, 'The provider's quality assurance and oversight systems in place did not ensure that the service provided was safe, appropriate, consistent and effectively monitored.
'The system for supervision of staff to ensure they completed their work to the required standards was not effective, and was impacting on residents' care delivery and safety from infection.'
The HIQA report stated the 'provider had not ensured that all residents had opportunities to participate in meaningful social activities to meet their needs'.
The HIQA inspector noted, from a review of residents' documentation, that although their social care preferences were established, this information was not always available in residents' social care plans.
Infection control was found to be ‘substantially compliant’.
The report outlined that cleaning procedures in place did not ensure effective cleaning of the mechanical lift used by residents, staff and others for their access between the floors in the centre.
For example, grit and dust were visible on the floor surface, and the stainless steel wall surfaces were smeared.
In response to this the provider said the person in charge will achieve oversight of resident’s care and Infection Prevention Control (IPC) measures by conducting regular walkarounds and 'observing, monitoring, correcting and evaluating care to ensure it is delivered to a high standard'.
The provider said the IPC Nurse is available to staff for guidance and to promote best practice and they will report any risks or deficits to the person in charge.
The inspectors also found 'assessment and care planning procedures were not implemented in line with the provider's own policy and procedures.
The report stated a result, the 'standards of residents' care documentation were not adequate, and this finding posed a risk that relevant information regarding each resident's needs and care interventions would not be available to staff.
In relation to individual assessment and care plan, the report stated 'actions were necessary to ensure care plans were developed and sufficiently detailed to reliably guide staff on their care delivery to meet residents' assessed needs, and in accordance with their individual preferences'.
This HSE said this was evidenced by two residents who did not have care plans developed identifying their diabetes care provision needs, to include the frequency of their blood glucose level monitoring.
In response to the issues raised the provider said residents’ care plans were 'updated immediately post inspection to reflect the frequency of blood glucose level monitoring and the parameters that their blood glucose level should be maintained with actions in place if blood glucose levels are out of these parameters'.
The provider said a full review of all residents care and social care plans will be conducted.