Holyoke Visiting Nurse Assoc

The agency failed to ensure infection control guidelines were maintained during the home visit observations for disinfecting the medical equipment after use, for 4 patients (#6, #10, #12 and #7), out of a total sample of 7 patient home visits.

The agency failed to ensure clinical documentation was complete and appropriately authenticated and dated in accordance with currently accepted standards of practice for 2 patients (#8 and #9), out of a total sample of 17 patients.

The agency failed to ensure the initial assessment visit was completed within 48 hours of the referral date for 1 patient (#12) in a total sample of 17 patients.

The home health agency failed to ensure treatments were administered only as ordered by a physician or allowed practitioner for 1 patient (#10), out of a total sample of 17 patients.

The agency failed to ensure that the physician ordered Plan of Care was followed for two Patients (#1 and #9), out of 17 sampled patients.

The agency failed to ensure staff communicated with all physicians involved in the plan of care (POC) and other health care practitioners (as appropriate) related to the current POC, for one patient (#9), out of total sample of 17 patients.

The agency failed to ensure nursing services were provided under the supervision of a registered nurse (RN) in the clinical record for 4 patients (#1, #8, #10 and #11), out of seven patients who received nursing services from a licensed practical nurse (LPN), out of a total sample of 17 patients.

The agency failed to ensure rehabilitation therapy services were provided under the supervision of a physical therapist (PT) for one patient (#8), out of a total sample of 17 patients.

The agency failed to complete a supervisory assessment of the Home Health Aide (HHA) services being provided no less frequently than every 14 days for 1 patient (#8), out of six patients receiving HHA services out of a total sample of 17 patients.

The Agency failed to ensure its staff obtained signed Physician orders for the Plan of Care for two Patients (#6 and #12), out of a total sample of 18 Patients.

The Agency failed to ensure its staff conformed with Physicians orders for four Patients (# 1, #10, #17 and #14), out of total sample of 18 Patients.

The Agency failed to ensure a Physical Therapist completed a Comprehensive Re-Assessment to determine eligibility for Medicare home health benefits for one Patient (#10), out of total sample of 18 Patients.

The Agency did not ensure its staff completed clinical documentation timely for three Patients (#1, #10 and #18), out of total sample of 18 Patients.

The Agency failed to notify the Physician when there was a change in the plan of care for three Patients (#1, #10 and #17), out of a total sample of 18 Patients.

The agency failed to ensure the patient received services in accordance to the individualized plan of care for one patient (#6) and failed to ensure an individualized plan of care was reviewed and signed timely, by the physician for one patient (#5), from a total sample of seven patients.