HospitalInspections.org

Complaint Intake # TX 00139061

Based on interview with patients and staff and record review the Hospital failed to ensure the temperature was maintained in such a manner for the well being of the patients on 3 of 3 patient units (Units A, B, and C). Eleven of fourteen patients interviewed complained that the hospital temperature was too cold during their stay. (Patient ID#'s 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13)

Findings include:

The Director of Nursing (D.O.N. #50) stated 12/8/10 at 1:50 p.m. the hospital has experienced ongoing problems with the heating and cooling system. She stated that it is worse with a sudden change in temperatures. The D.O.N. stated that as patients complain about the temperature their thermostats have to be adjusted by maintenance on a case by case basis because patients cannot control their room temperatures.

Record review of a Capital Expenditures request dated 11/11/10 stated "The old HVAC automation system in the building no longer works and the temperature in the building and patient rooms is one of the hospitals top complaints.......This HVAC control package has reached end and is not repairable. When an HVAC control package stops working all control points and HVAC set points have to be done manually. This creates hot and cool spots though the hospital."

The Director of Maintenance (ID # 52) stated 12/8/10 at 2:30 p.m. that he was fully aware of the problems associated with the heating system of the hospital. The Director of Maintenance stated that the hospital needs " a complete new energy management system " for the building and a Capital Expenditure request had been sent to the corporate office on November 3rd, 2010. The Director stated that if patients complain about the temperature in their rooms then maintenance has to manually set each room by adjusting an actuator in the ceiling. The Director further stated that he does not maintain a written on-call schedule for maintenance employees, does not keep written records monitoring the temperature in the hospital, does not keep written work order requests to adjust room temperatures, and does not have a list of complaints received from patients or families regarding room temperatures.

Interviews 12/8/10 from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. revealed eleven out of fourteen patients interviewed complained of room temperatures being cold. (Patient ID#' s 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13)

Unit A (patient #'s 1, 2, 3, 9, 10)
Unit B (patient #'s 5, 6, 11, 12, 13)
Unit C (patient #'s 8)

Complaints from patients and family members included the following comments:
-couple of nights it was very cold
-room temperatures vary from hot to cold, not a constant temperature
-at night time it really gets cold
-very cold a few days after the cold front pushed in
-room temperatures fluctuate
-freezing
-the temperature is not even
-other night it was freezing in here