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Committee hears COVID uptick and increased complaint surveys; vaccination encouraged but not required
Summary
Staff reported an uptick in COVID among staff with household outbreak procedures in place; they described four complaint/self-report surveys in five weeks (one minor citation) and said vaccination is encouraged and educational materials and declination records are maintained.
Carmen told the Dec. 18 committee that the facility has seen an increase in COVID and other illnesses among staff in recent months and that outbreaks have required closing affected households for 14 days for admission purposes while allowing most resident activities to continue with masking by staff and visitors.
She said staff vaccinations are encouraged but not required; the facility is required by surveyors to provide education and declination documentation. Carmen added that the facility has experienced "vaccination fatigue" and that surveyors ask for records showing education and signed declination forms when vaccines are not taken.
Carmen said state surveyors (contracted through CMS) have been conducting complaint or self-report surveys in recent weeks — four in about five weeks — because annual surveys were delayed during a federal government shutdown. Three of the four complaint/self-report surveys were unsubstantiated and one produced a minor investigation-level citation for which the facility submitted a plan of correction.
Staff said they are expecting the overdue east annual survey soon and that the extra complaint surveys mean more short-term work and stress while surveyors were present; Carmen said outcomes overall were "pretty good."
