Avoid AHCA Citations: Compliance Tips for Posting Signs and Respecting Resident Rights
Your Intentions Are for Good Reasons
As facility managers and administrators, we often face the challenge of ensuring that our staff provides special attention or accommodations to certain residents. To help remind the staff, you might consider making a clear sign and placing it near the resident’s bed. While this seems like a practical solution to ensure proper care, it’s important to understand that it is not permitted.
You Can’t Do That
Despite your good intentions, posting signs near a resident’s bed is prohibited and will result in a citation from AHCA. This practice violates the resident bill of rights.
Resident Bill of Rights (Section 429.28)
(b) Residents must be treated with consideration and respect, acknowledging their personal dignity, individuality, and privacy.
It’s crucial to find alternative ways to ensure your staff remembers to perform special requests while upholding the rights and dignity of your residents.
Examples of Things Not to Post
Here are some examples of signs or notes that should not be posted near a resident’s bed or in their personal space:
1. Dietary Restrictions:
– “Resident is on a low-sodium diet.”
– “Do not serve desserts to this resident.”
2. Personal Care Instructions:
– “Assist with bathing every morning.”
– “Turn resident every two hours.”
3. Medical Information:
– “Resident requires insulin shots before meals.”
– “Check blood pressure twice daily.”
4. Behavioral Reminders:
– “Resident tends to wander; keep an eye on them.”
– “Do not leave the resident alone in the bathroom.”
Alternative Methods to Ensure Task Completion
There are other ways to make sure that a specific task is being done by your staff:
1. Staff Communication Book:
Have a staff communication book where staff can leave and read notes written by management and other staff when they come to work. You could write your daily reminders in there.
2. Facility Logbook:
Require your staff to document that the special task was done by having them sign off in a facility logbook for that resident, kept where they clock in and out.
3. Group Text:
Create a group text for your staff and send daily reminders of tasks and issues.
4. Frequent Meetings:
Have frequent meetings with staff (group meetings or meetings with individual staff) and remind them of the tasks.
Take a tour of your resident rooms and make sure no signs are up. You will be surprised how often third parties put these signs up without your knowledge (family members, hospice, home health, and even your direct care staff). By avoiding these postings and using alternative methods, you can ensure your residents receive proper care while respecting their dignity and privacy.
Waiver Option
The only way around this is to obtain a signed waiver that the resident or responsible party would sign. This waiver would indicate they understand this is a privacy and dignity issue and they consent to the posting. The waiver should clearly state exactly what the posting will say.