HospitalInspections.org

Based on document review and interview, the facility failed to ensure nursing staff followed their policy/procedure related to transport of a medically emergent patient in 1 (patient 4) of 10 medical records (MR) reviewed:

Findings include:

1. Policy/procedure CC.68, Medical Emergencies, reviewed 08/2017 indicated on page 2: "Other Non-Life Threatening Medical Emergencies:...RN shall delegate someone to call 911 or arrange for transport to a Hospital Emergency Department".

2. Review of patient 4's MR lacked documentation that the patient was transported to F1 via 911 - Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Ambulance for a medical emergency. Review of patient 4's MR lacked documentation an RN arranged for the patient's transport to a hospital emergency department via 911 Ambulance so that the patient could be continuously monitored via Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) trained in advance life support.

3. On 10/18/21 at approximately 1500 hours, staff N3 (Director of Nursing) was interviewed and confirmed patients exhibiting signs/symptoms of a medical emergency requiring continuous medical observation should be transported via 911-EMS emergency services and not the facility's transport department. Staff N3 confirmed the facility's transport department is staffed with basic level EMT's and not advanced level and/or paramedics required to care for a patient experiencing a medical emergency. Staff N3 confirmed patient 4 should not have been transported to F1 via the facility's transport ambulance and should have been transported via 911 EMS.