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Based on review of documentation and interviews with facility staff the facility failed to follow its policy on discharge of a patient to a skilled nursing facility as in 1 of 10 patient records reviewed there was no documentation that the family was involved with, or notified of, the discharge plan.

The findings were:

The facility policy entitled "Discharge a Patient to a Skilled Nursing Facility" with a review date of 11/4/13 reflected in part "In planning for discharge, alternatives and options should be discussed with the patient and the family ...Encourage the family to visit the various facilities before making a decision as to which skilled nursing facility they want. Discuss with the patient and patient's family their preference of a facility and call those facilities first ...Determine if family wishes to be with the patient during the transfer or meet the patient at the skilled nursing facility."

The medical record of patient #1 was reviewed on 5/27/14. The record did not contain documentation that the family had been involved in the discharge planning process or notified of patient #1 being transferred to a local skilled nursing facility.

The daughter of patient #1 filed a complaint that she had not been notified of her father's transfer to the skilled nursing facility.

The social worker, staff #3 was interviewed in the conference room on 5/27/14 at 3:00 pm. She stated that she did not specifically recall meeting or speaking with patient #1's daughter. Staff #3 was asked if she always involved the family in the discharge plan and she stated she usually did.

The medical records of nine other patients with dates of service from 1/17/14 - 4/17/14 that were discharged to skilled nursing facilities or other long term care facilities were reviewed (patients #2 - 10). In each of the patient records, the Social Work notes documented that both the patient and family or other caretaker were notified of the discharge plan.

In an interview with the acting DON, staff #1 in the conference room on 5/27/14 at 4:00 pm, the Social Work notes from patient #1's record were reviewed with her and she agreed there was no documentation that patient #1's family was notified of the discharge plan.