Failure to Assess and Document Pain and Effectiveness of Analgesics
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to routinely assess, document, and monitor pain and the effectiveness of pain medications for a resident on a pain management program. The resident was admitted with diagnoses including acute pyelonephritis, bladder and kidney calculi, chronic kidney disease, and type 2 diabetes mellitus, and had physician orders for Lyrica 50 mg twice daily for chronic pain syndrome and Robaxin 500 mg four times daily for pain. The MDS showed the resident had intact cognition and required staff assistance with ADLs. Review of the MARs for February, March, and April 2026 revealed no documentation of the resident’s pain level prior to administration of Lyrica and Robaxin and no documentation of the effectiveness of these medications in relieving the resident’s pain. During an interview, the resident reported a current pain level of six to seven on a 1–10 scale and stated that since admission no one had asked about her pain level. The DON confirmed she was unaware the resident had a kidney stone and had complained of unrelieved pain, and verified that nurses had not documented the resident’s pain level before and after administration of pain medications on the MARs for the reviewed months, despite the expectation that staff document pain level with each administration. The CNP confirmed that staff had not communicated the resident’s pain levels or that the current pain regimen was not effective. Review of the facility’s Pain Assessment and Management policy showed that staff were required to assess pain at least each shift for acute pain or significant changes in chronic pain, at least weekly for stable chronic pain, and to document the resident’s reported pain level with enough detail to gauge pain status and intervention effectiveness, which was not done in this case.
Penalty
Resources
Below are regulatory guidelines relevant to this citation:
A resident with osteoarthritis, chronic neck and arm pain, and intervertebral disc degeneration did not consistently receive ordered pain management interventions. The care plan and physician orders called for daily application of a warm neck wrap with skin checks and scheduled tramadol doses, as well as PRN hydrocodone-acetaminophen every 8 hours. Documentation showed multiple missed neck wrap applications and several missed tramadol doses, and one instance where hydrocodone-acetaminophen was administered twice within 1.5 hours instead of at the ordered 8-hour interval. The resident reported significant pain and difficulty getting staff to administer pain medications as needed, while facility policy required adherence to the 10 Rights of medication administration, including right dose and right time/frequency.
A resident with extensive traumatic fractures, internal injuries, and a long history of chronic pain management was admitted on existing orders for ibuprofen PRN and Percocet for pain, with hospital discharge instructions indicating scheduled Percocet three times daily. During the first night after admission, staff administered only ibuprofen, documented as ineffective, and did not provide any Percocet because the hospital had not sent written narcotic prescriptions and the DON did not obtain a timely verbal order to access Percocet from the emergency kit. The resident repeatedly complained of severe, escalating pain, used the call light frequently, yelled out, and ultimately called 911, signed out AMA, and was transported to the ED, where she reported uncontrolled pain and opioid withdrawal symptoms and received Percocet.
A resident with chronic pain from degenerative disc disease and avascular necrosis experienced repeated episodes of uncontrolled pain, with scores up to 10/10, despite ongoing adjustments to analgesic medications. The care plan focused on pharmacologic interventions and monitoring but did not include any non-pharmacological pain management strategies, even as pain remained only partially controlled. Staff interviews revealed that some staff avoided the resident due to perceived rude behavior, the resident frequently refused care and appointments because of pain, and the resident requested increased narcotics and medical marijuana. The MDS coordinator stated that ineffective interventions should be revised, yet the care plan was not updated to add alternative or non-pharmacologic approaches, contrary to the facility’s own pain management policy requiring care consistent with professional standards and resident goals and preferences.
A resident with multiple pain-related conditions, including neuropathy, fracture, and chronic wounds, had care plans and PRN orders for various analgesics and non-pharmacological interventions, but the plan did not specify an acceptable pain level or clearly direct which analgesic to use before wound treatments. Records showed no comprehensive assessment or specific interventions for preventing pain during wound care, and on one morning only aspirin was given despite a documented pain level of 6, with no evidence that other ordered PRN pain medications or non-pharmacological measures were offered. During an observed buttock dressing change, the resident repeatedly yelled and verbalized pain while being turned and treated, and pain medication was not offered before the procedure began. Staff interviews confirmed the resident frequently screamed in pain with repositioning, that PRN medications were often given only if requested or directed, and that the LPN and DON later acknowledged that stronger pain medication and earlier intervention should have been used based on the facility’s pain scales and the resident’s reported pain levels.
A cognitively impaired resident with advanced dementia, known to express pain through agitation, aggression, leaning forward, and attempts to stand, was kept in a wheelchair near the nurses’ station for several hours and repeatedly tried to get up before sustaining a fall with a C1 fracture. Staff did not perform a pain assessment when the resident was agitated and repeatedly attempting to stand, and the LPN involved reported not knowing how to recognize the resident’s pain expressions. The resident’s pain care plans were not individualized to his non-verbal cues and relied on a 0–10 numeric self-rating scale, even though the resident was unable to use such a scale, leading to questionable pain documentation and staff being unaware of how the resident expressed pain.
A resident admitted with spinal stenosis, chronic back pain, anxiety, panic disorder, and opioid dependence had a PRN hydrocodone-acetaminophen order entered on admission, but the medication was not available for use until the early morning of the next day. The admitting LPN reportedly told the resident and a complainant that the pain medication would arrive within a few hours, yet the prescription was not sent to the pharmacy, and there was no documentation of follow-up or explanation for the delay. During the night, the resident repeatedly requested pain medication, reported significant pain to a CNA and to a complainant by phone, and an RN later confirmed the drug was unavailable until a new prescription and access to backup stock were obtained.
Failure to Follow Ordered Pharmacologic and Non-Pharmacologic Pain Management
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to provide ordered pharmacological and non-pharmacological pain management for a resident with chronic pain. The resident, who was cognitively intact and had diagnoses including osteoarthritis, low back pain, bilateral arm pain, and intervertebral disc degeneration, reported significant pain in her right arm and shoulder and difficulty getting staff to administer pain medications as needed after a recent schedule change. Her care plan, revised on 4/30/26, identified neck pain due to osteoarthritis and included interventions such as medications and a warm neck pack as ordered. A physician’s order directed nursing staff to apply a warm neck wrap daily for 20 minutes with skin checks before and after application, but the April 2026 Treatment Administration Record showed the neck wrap was not documented as administered on multiple specified dates. The resident also had multiple physician orders for pain medications that were not followed as written. An order dated 4/9/26 for hydrocodone-acetaminophen 5-325 mg, one tablet by mouth every 8 hours as needed, was documented on the April 2026 Medication Administration Record as being given at 8:00 p.m. and again at 9:30 p.m. on the same day, which did not comply with the ordered 8-hour interval. Another order dated 4/14/26 for tramadol 50 mg by mouth four times a day was not documented as administered at several scheduled times throughout April, including missed doses on multiple mornings, noons, and evenings. During an interview, the DON stated she had no further information to provide. The facility’s own medication administration policy required adherence to the “10 Rights” of medication administration, including right dose and right time/frequency, and checking the MAR and physician’s orders before medicating.
Failure to Provide Ordered Opioid Analgesia for Resident With Severe Traumatic Injuries
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to provide ordered opioid pain medication to a newly admitted resident with extensive traumatic injuries and a history of chronic pain management. The resident was admitted following a serious motor vehicle accident that resulted in multiple fractures (thoracic vertebrae, ribs, pelvis, sacrum, humerus, ilium), lung contusions, traumatic pneumothorax, liver and spleen lacerations, and hemoperitoneum. Hospital documentation showed that prior to admission the resident had been on Percocet 5-325 mg three times daily as an outpatient and was discharged from the hospital with instructions to continue Percocet 5-325 mg one tablet three times daily (scheduled) and ibuprofen 800 mg every 8 hours as needed for pain. The facility’s physician orders on admission included ibuprofen 800 mg every 8 hours as needed and Percocet 5-325 mg every 8 hours as needed for pain. On the evening and night following admission, the facility administered only ibuprofen and did not provide any Percocet, despite the resident’s repeated complaints of severe pain. The MAR documented that ibuprofen 800 mg was given late in the evening for a pain level of 4 and was noted as ineffective in controlling the pain, with no documentation that Percocet was ever administered. The DON documented that the hospital had not sent written prescriptions (“hard scripts”) for the narcotic pain medication, that the pharmacy reported not receiving such scripts, and that the facility was unable to access narcotics from the emergency kit without a prescription. The DON contacted the pharmacy and the hospital but did not obtain an order that would allow access to Percocet from the emergency kit, and she did not contact a provider at the time she first realized the resident had arrived without the necessary narcotic prescriptions. The DON later stated she was not aware that a verbal order could have been used to access the emergency kit and acknowledged there was a discrepancy between the facility’s PRN Percocet order and the hospital’s scheduled Percocet order, of which she had not been aware. Throughout the night, the resident continued to report uncontrolled pain, which she later described as escalating to 10/10, and she reported yelling out in pain and repeatedly requesting Percocet. CNAs reported that the resident was constantly on the call light, complaining about needing pain pills, threatening to sign out AMA, and yelling out. The DON documented that the resident complained of pain and inability to sleep, had received PRN ibuprofen, and that vital signs were within normal limits; she also noted that the resident had two loose stools but did not associate them with opioid withdrawal. The pharmacy director confirmed that the correct dose of Percocet was available in the emergency kit and that it could have been accessed with a provider’s emergency verbal order. The medical director stated that, had he been contacted sooner, he could have given a verbal order to access Percocet from the emergency kit or ordered transfer to the ER. Instead, after the resident called 911 requesting transport for pain management, the medical director eventually ordered transfer to the ER at the resident’s request, and the resident signed AMA paperwork stating she would not return. In the ER, the resident presented with complaints of pain all over, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and reported opioid withdrawal symptoms, with documentation that no pain medication had been administered between the time of admission to the facility and arrival at the ER, approximately 12 hours later. The ER administered Percocet and discharged her with a prescription for Percocet. The facility’s own pain management policy stated that it was the policy of the facility to respect and support the resident’s right to optimal pain assessment and management, and referenced an opioid use policy and procedure. Despite this, the record shows that the facility did not provide the ordered opioid medication, did not resolve the lack of a written prescription in a timely manner through available mechanisms (such as obtaining a verbal order to access the emergency kit), and did not adjust its actions when ibuprofen was documented as ineffective. The combination of the resident’s extensive injuries, documented chronic pain management history, hospital discharge instructions for scheduled Percocet, and the facility’s failure to administer any Percocet or secure timely prescriber authorization led to the resident experiencing uncontrolled pain, reporting opioid withdrawal symptoms, and ultimately signing out AMA and calling 911 for transport to the ER for pain management.
Failure to Provide Effective, Multimodal Pain Management
Penalty
Summary
Facility staff failed to ensure effective pain management for a resident with chronic pain syndrome related to degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and avascular necrosis of the left hip. The resident’s care plan identified bilateral hip pain and neuropathic pain, with goals for the resident to verbalize relief of pain, cope with and complete activities with pain relief, and remain free from interruption in normal activities due to pain. Interventions in the care plan focused on administering analgesics as ordered, anticipating the resident’s need for pain relief, responding promptly to complaints of pain, and evaluating the effectiveness of pain interventions, including reviewing compliance, symptom alleviation, dosing schedules, resident satisfaction, and impact on function and cognition. However, the care plan, initiated in April 2024 and last revised in December 2025, did not include any non-pharmacological interventions to assist with alleviating the resident’s pain. Clinical record review showed multiple episodes of uncontrolled pain despite ongoing pharmacologic management. A nursing note documented that staff were called to the resident’s room for increased, uncontrolled pain with a reported pain score of 10/10, and the physician assistant provided a one-time order for hydrocodone/acetaminophen 10-325 mg. Subsequent progress notes indicated chronic pain syndrome with ongoing symptom review and pain described as only partially controlled, with continued reports of uncontrolled pain and pain ratings up to 10/10. Although analgesic dosages were adjusted over time, there was no evidence in the record that non-pharmacological or alternative pain management approaches were implemented or documented to help alleviate the resident’s pain. Staff interviews further illustrated issues with the resident’s pain management and staff response. An LPN reported that the resident was sometimes rude and disrespectful, and stated that staff ignored and avoided the resident’s room because of how he spoke to people. The assistant DON reported that the resident refused care daily due to pain, screamed out when his left leg was moved, and declined care, assistance, and appointments because of pain, while also requesting increased pain medication dosages and medical marijuana. The MDS coordinator explained that care plans should be updated with changes in condition or ineffective interventions, and that interventions should be changed if not effective, but there was no indication that non-pharmacological interventions were added to the care plan despite ongoing uncontrolled pain. The facility’s own pain management policy required pain management consistent with professional standards of practice, the comprehensive person-centered care plan, and the resident’s goals and preferences, but documentation and interviews showed that non-pharmacological pain interventions were not developed or implemented for this resident.
Failure to Individualize and Provide Adequate Pain Management During Wound Care
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to develop and implement an individualized pain management plan for a resident with multiple pain-related diagnoses, particularly in relation to wound treatments and repositioning. The resident had documented conditions including polyneuropathy, a left femur neck fracture, polyosteoarthritis, chronic pain related to absence of toes on both feet, and gastroesophageal reflux disease. The admission MDS showed mild cognitive impairment, verbal behaviors, and rejection of care on some days. Care plans identified use of aspirin therapy and opioid pain medication related to fracture, with goals to avoid discomfort and adverse side effects, and interventions to administer analgesics as ordered, monitor side effects and effectiveness, and assess pain on a 0–10 scale. However, the care plan did not identify the resident’s acceptable level of pain, and while a pressure wound care plan stated to treat pain per orders prior to treatment/turning, there was no corresponding physician order specifying which analgesic to use or when to administer it before wound care. The resident’s physician orders included aspirin 81 mg daily, PRN acetaminophen 1,000 mg every 6 hours for moderate pain, PRN gabapentin 600 mg every 8 hours for pain, and PRN oxycodone 5 mg every 4 hours for severe pain, with a maximum daily dose. The MAR listed non-pharmacological interventions such as ice, distraction, and rest, with instructions to document effectiveness and non-pharmacological measures used alongside medications. Record review showed no comprehensive assessment, treatment orders, or care plan interventions specifically addressing pain prevention during wound treatments. On one morning, the MAR documented administration of aspirin with a recorded pain level of 6, but there was no indication that non-pharmacological interventions were offered or that PRN acetaminophen, gabapentin, or oxycodone were offered or administered at that time. During an observed dressing change to the resident’s buttocks, the resident repeatedly yelled out, stated he was cold and hurting, and vocalized pain while being turned and while the wound was cleaned, using exclamations and profanity. The LPN performing the dressing change did not offer pain medication before starting the procedure and acknowledged that the dressing change had already begun and that pain medication should perhaps have been given beforehand, noting the resident was in pain every time he was turned. Staff interviews indicated the resident screamed in pain whenever turned or repositioned, and that this was reported to nurses and TMAs. A TMA reported she only administered PRN pain medication if a resident asked or a nurse instructed her, and during the morning pass she gave aspirin and recorded a pain level of 6 without notifying the LPN; the resident did not request additional pain medication at that time. The LPN later stated that, based on the resident’s pain level and the facility’s FACES and numeric pain scales, oxycodone should have been used for severe pain, and the DON stated the resident should have been offered pain medication when pain was identified at 6 and that the dressing change should have been stopped when the resident voiced pain. These findings show the facility did not individualize and implement pain management for wound care and did not provide adequate pain control during the observed treatment.
Failure to Individualize Pain Assessment and Management for a Cognitively Impaired Resident
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to provide safe, appropriate, and individualized pain management for a cognitively impaired resident with advanced dementia and other mental health diagnoses. The resident had a BIMS score of 3/15, a physician-documented lack of capacity to understand and make decisions, and was known to be unable to clearly communicate needs, typically only saying “mama” and sometimes yes or no. Staff and the resident’s family reported that the resident became agitated, aggressive, restless, and attempted to stand or move when in pain, including grabbing at his back and leaning forward in his wheelchair. Despite these known behaviors and the facility’s own pain management policy requiring assessment based on non-verbal cues when a resident cannot verbalize pain intensity, the resident’s pain care plan and assessments were not individualized to his cognitive status or pain expressions. On the night in question, the resident was brought out of his room around midnight and placed in a wheelchair in front of the nurses’ station, where he remained for approximately five hours. Video footage showed the resident repeatedly leaning forward and attempting to stand from his wheelchair between 5:01 A.M. and 5:29 A.M. Staff, including a licensed nurse, intermittently assisted him back into the wheelchair but then left his side to perform other tasks, during which he immediately attempted to get up again. At 5:29 A.M., with the nurse’s back turned while she was in the nurses’ station, the resident stood up from his wheelchair and fell forward out of camera view. Progress notes documented that this was an unwitnessed fall in the hallway resulting in two forehead lacerations and a possible right shoulder injury, and the resident was later found to have a C1 fracture and was transferred for neurosurgical evaluation. Interviews and record review showed that the resident’s pain was not assessed when he was agitated and repeatedly trying to get up, and that staff did not consistently recognize his non-verbal pain cues. The unit manager stated that when the resident kept trying to stand up that night, the nurse should have assessed him for pain and acknowledged that the record showed no pain assessment when he presented as agitated. The licensed nurse involved stated she could not tell if the resident was in pain after the fall and did not know how to recognize his expression of pain. The resident’s family member reported that the resident had lower back pain, would try to stand and move to alleviate it, and became agitated and aggressive when in pain, and believed staff did not know when he was in pain. The medical doctor confirmed the resident had very advanced dementia, could not articulate his pain, and could have been experiencing discomfort from sitting in his wheelchair for five hours, and stated the nurse should have assessed for pain when the resident kept trying to get up. Further record review revealed that the resident’s pain assessments were documented using a 0–10 numeric self-rating scale, with the MAR indicating that the resident had “self-rated” his pain as zero on numerous days and as high as 10/10 on several occasions. The unit manager and interim DON both stated the resident was not capable of using a numeric pain scale, and the unit manager questioned the validity of all such documented self-ratings, including zeros, stating “he can’t use it.” The resident’s pain care plans for “Resident at Risk for Pain” and “Acute Pain/Chronic Pain” did not identify how he expressed pain, did not include relevant ways to assess his pain, and were not individualized to his non-verbal behaviors, instead relying on administration of pain medication based on a self-rating scale. As a result, nursing staff were unaware of how the resident expressed pain, and his pain management was not provided according to acceptable standards of practice.
Failure to Ensure Timely Availability of Ordered PRN Opioid for New Admission
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide timely and appropriate pain management for a cognitively intact resident admitted with spinal stenosis, dorsalgia, anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and opioid dependence. On admission, the resident had an order for hydrocodone-acetaminophen 10 mg-325 mg every four hours as needed for pain, entered on the Medication Administration Record on the day of admission. However, the first documented administration of this medication did not occur until the early morning of the following day. During this period, the ordered hydrocodone-acetaminophen was not available in the facility because the prescription had not been sent to the pharmacy, and there was no documentation by the admitting nurse explaining the delay or any follow-up on obtaining the medication. According to interviews, the admitting nurse reportedly told the resident and a complainant that the hydrocodone-acetaminophen would arrive within a few hours of admission, but by late that night the resident was calling the complainant in distress, reporting pain and lack of access to the medication. A CNA stated the resident was in pain, agitated, and repeatedly requested pain medication, and that these requests were reported to the nurse. An RN on the night shift confirmed receiving a call from the complainant about the resident’s pain and discovered that the prescription had not been sent to the pharmacy, prompting a request to the on-call provider and use of the backup supply before the first dose was finally administered. Resident care managers later stated that, given the resident’s condition and admission from home without a hard copy prescription, the admitting nurse should have obtained a STAT prescription and documented diligent follow-up, but the record contained no such documentation and the medication was not readily available when requested.
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