QA Investigation Results

Pennsylvania Department of Health
AVEANNA HEALTHCARE
Health Inspection Results
AVEANNA HEALTHCARE
Health Inspection Results For:


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Initial Comments:

Based on the findings of an on-site home health agency state re-licensure survey conducted February 7, 2024, through February 8, 2024, and concluded off-site on February 12, 2024, Aveanna Healthcare was found not to be in compliance with the requirements of 28 Pa. Code, Part IV, Health facilities, Subpart G. Chapter 601.






Plan of Correction:




601.31(d) REQUIREMENT
CONFORMANCE WITH PHYSICIAN'S ORDERS

Name - Component - 00
601.31(d) Conformance With
Physician's Orders. All prescription
and nonprescription (over-the-counter)
drugs, devices, medications and
treatments, shall be administered by
agency staff in accordance with the
written orders of the physician.
Prescription drugs and devices shall
be prescribed by a licensed physician.
Only licensed pharmacists shall
dispense drugs and devices. Licensed
physicians may dispense drugs and
devices to the patients who are in
their care. The licensed nurse or
other individual, who is authorized by
appropriate statutes and the State
Boards in the Bureau of Professional
and Occupational Affairs, shall
immediately record and sign oral
orders and within 7 days obtain the
physician's counter-signature. Agency
staff shall check all medicines a
patient may be taking to identify
possible ineffective drug therapy or
adverse reactions, significant side
effects, drug allergies, and
contraindicated medication, and shall
promptly report any problems to the
physician.

Observations:


Based on the review of agency policies, clinical records (CR), and interviews with agency staff, the agency failed to ensure that staff followed the plan of care for seven (7) of nine (9) CR reviewed. (CR # 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9)


Findings include:

Review of agency policy #4.27 "Physician Orders/Plan of Care" on February 12, 2024, at approximately 1:00 P.M. stated, "Care and services will be provided in accordance with physician's (or other authorized prescriber's) orders, as required by law and regulation..."
"Plan of Treatment/Plan of Care: A complete, individualized Plan of Care/Treatment will be developed for all patients... The Plan of Care/Treatment must include the following as applicable: ... A description of any Treatments, procedures, and services and /or specific therapy to be performed. Frequency, duration of each treatment, service, shifts and/or visits..."

Review of agency policy 04.27.03 "Missed Services" on February 12, 2024, at approximately 1:10 P.M. stated, "When scheduled services, visits or shifts are not provided for any reason, the MD must be notified and documentation of the notification must be in the patient's record to reflect the alteration of the plan of care."

Review of Policy 04.24.01 "Medication Administration Guidelines" on February 12, 2024, at approximately 1:15 P.M. stated, "All medications given during the visit/shift are documented on the MAR (medication administration record)... Medications either withheld or not given shall be marked on the MAR according to the legend. The nurse shall document on the MAR or progress note the reason medication was not given and, if applicable, that the supervisor and physician wrere notified... Medications may be give 30 minutes before or after the scheduled time... If times of administration are off by more than an hour the physician and supervisor are notified..."

Review of CR on February 8, 2024, from approximately 9:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M., February 9, 2024, from approximately 10:30 A.M. to 12:00 P.M., and February 12, 2024, from approximately 11:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. revealed the following:

CR #2, start of care November 1, 2021. Certification period reviewed: December 21, 2023, through February 18, 2024. The POC contained orders as follows: SN (skilled nurse) will provide 13 hours/day x 7 days per week of private duty nursing x 60 days. Review of nursing flow sheets revealed that skilled nursing services were not provided on December 23 through December 26, 2023, December 29, 2023, through January 1, 2024, January 6, January 7, January 13, January 14, January 16, January 19 through January 21, January 27, January 28, January 31, 2024, February 3, February 4, and February 8, 2024. Services were provided each day for less than thirteen (13) hours. There was no documentation that the physician was notified that services were not provided as ordered. There were no verbal orders to amend the duration and/or frequency of services provided.
The POC contained an order for SN to change Mic-Key (tube typically inserted through abdomen into the stomach) in urostomy (surgically created opening in the abdomen to divert urine away from the bladder) every 6 weeks and PRN (as needed). The Mic-Key tube was documented as changed on November 20, 2023, and January 18, 2024, which was eight (8) weeks, three (3) days.
Review of the medications ordered on the POC revealed five (5) medications to be given daily, six (6) medication to be given two (2) times per day, eight (8) medications to be given three (3) times per day, one (1) medication to be given every six (6) hours, and eight (8) medications to be given PRN, and one (1) medication to be given every five (5) days. The MAR contained no documentation of the times that the medications were to be given.

CR #3, start of care July 6, 2022. Certification period reviewed: December 28, 2023, through February 25, 2024. The POC contained orders as follows: SN will provide 40 hours - Monday - Wednesday 3:00 P.M. - 11:00 P.M, and Thursday - Friday 7:00 A.M. - 3:00 P.M. per week of private duty nursing x 60 days. Review of nursing flow sheets revealed that skilled nursing services were provided Monday through Friday from December 28, 2023, through February 7, 2024, from 12:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. There was no documentation of a verbal order to amend the times that services were provided.
The POC order for G-tube (gastrostomy tube, inserted through the abdomen into the stomach) "SN may change or replace G-tube every 3 months and PRN for dislodgement or malfunction." The nursing flow sheet dated December 28, 2023, documented that the G-tube was changed on August 15, 2023. The next G-tube change was documented as being completed on December 29, 2023, which was four (4) months and fourteen (14) days since the previous G-tube change.

CR #4, start of care October 29, 2023. Certification period reviewd: December 28, 2023, through February 25, 2024. The POC contained orders SN will provide 136 hours per week flexible of private duty nursing for 63 days, shared with another agency. The POC does not specify the number of hours to be provided by this other agency. Review of nursing flow sheets revealed that services were provided four (4) days for six (6) to nine (9) hours. Missed visit physician notifications were documented for "unfilled shifts" on January 1, January 2, January 5 through January 9, January 12, January 22, January 23, and January 26, 2024. There was no documentation that the physician was notified that services were not provided as ordered on the remaining open or shortened shifts. There were no verbal orders to amend the duration and/or frequency of services provided.
The POC contained orders for SN to change 5.0 Bivona flextend uncuffed (tracheostomy tube) weekly and PRN for dislodgement/occlusion. The only tracheostomy tube change was documented as January 30, 2024.
Review of nursing flow sheets revealed that G-tube feedings were not documented on the intake and output records as ordered.
Review of the medications ordered on the POC revealed seven (7) medications to be given daily, one (1) medication to be given two (2) times per day, one (1) medication to be given every 72 hours, one (1) medication to be given Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and seventeen (17) medications to be given PRN. The MAR contained no documentation of the times that the medications were to be given.

CR #5, start of care August 6, 2022. Certification period reviewed: January 28, 2024, through March 27, 2024. The POC contained orders as follows: SN will provide 12 hours per day 7 days per week of private duty nursing x 60 days. Review of nursing flow sheets revealed that no services were provided on January 28, January 30, February 1, February 2, February 4, and Feburary 5, 2024. Services were provided as follows: January 29, 2024 - 10.75 hours, Janaury 31, 2024 - 8.5 hours, February 3, 2024 - 6.25 hours, February 6, 2024 - 11 hours, and February 7, 2024 - 9.25 hours. There was no documentation that the physician was notified that services were not provided as ordered. There were no verbal orders to amend the duration and/or frequency of services provided.
The POC contained an order for SN may change or replace G-tube every 3 months and PRN for dislodgement or malfunction. The most recent documented G-tube change was November 1, 2023, three (3) months, seven (7) days prior to the date of the file review.
The POC contained orders for four (4) feedings daily either by mouth or via the G-tube. There was no documentation of food or fluid intake and output recorded on Januray 29, January 31, 2024, and February 7, 2024. There POC contained an order for the SN to clean the stoma (insertion site of the G-tube) using clean technique once each shift... There was no documentation that G-tube care was performed on Januray 29, January 31, February 6, and February 7, 2024.
Review of the medications ordered on the POC revealed seven (7) medications to be given daily, two (2) medications to be given three (3) times per day, one (1) medication to be given weekly, one (1) medication to be given following all dialysis treatments, and three (3) medications to be given PRN. Docusate Sodium (stool softener) 50 mg (milligrams) per ml (milliliter), 2 ml via G-tube was ordered with no frequency of administration listed. The MAR contained no documentation of the times that the medications were to be given. No medications were documented as given on January 29, January 31, February 6 and February 7, 2024. On February 3, 2024, the nurse documented that the patient received two (2) doses of both medications ordered to be given three (3) times per day, and one (1) of the medications ordered daily was given.

CR #6, start of care September 19, 2023. Certification period reviewed: January 17, 2024 through March 16, 2024. The POC contained orders as follows: SN will provide 7 hours per day x 5 days per week of private duty nursing x 60 days. Review of nursing flow sheets revealed that services were not provided on January 19, January 22, and February 5, 2024. There was no documentation that the physician was notified of the missed shifts. There were no verbal orders to amend the duration and/or frequency of services provided.

CR #7, start of care August 9, 2017. Certification period reviewed: January 5, 2024, through March 4, 2024. The POC contained orders as follows: SN will provide 140 hours per week of private duty nursing x 60 days. Case is shared with Bayada. Aveanna typically provides 40 hours per week. Hours may vary as we coordinate care with Bayada. Review of nursing flow sheets revealed that no services were provided the week of January 7 through January 13, 2024, and Januray 14 through January 20, 2024, twenty-four (24) hours were provided the week of January 21 through January 27, 2024, and twenty-three (23) hours were provided the week of January 28 through February 3, 2024. There was no documentation of coordination of services with Bayada.
Review of the medications ordered on the POC revealed four (4) medications to be given daily, four (4) medications to be give two (2) times per day, three (3) medications to be given three (3) times per day, one (1) medication to be given four (4) times per day, and eleven (11) medications to be given PRN. The MAR contained no documentation of the times that the medications were to be given.

CR #9, start of care December 7, 2021. Certification period reviewed: September 28, 2023, through November 26, 2023. The POC was not signed by the physician until November 11, 2023. Forty five (45) days after the start of the certification period.
The POC contained orders as follows: SN will provide 18 hours/day of private duty skilled nursing x 60 days. A coordination note dated December 7, 2023, stated that Suma Homecare would provide care 7:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. and Aveanna would provide care Sunday through Thursday 10:00 P.M. to 6:00 A.M. Review of nursing flow sheets revealed that skilled nursing services were only provided on two (2) of seven (7) Sundays, no services provided on Mondays, services not provided on one (1) of seven (7) Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Services were provided on one (1) Friday for 6.25 hours. On the days that services were provided, the hours provided ranged from eight (8) to twelve (12) hours. Missed visits were documented on October 23, 2023, and October 31, 2023, due to "unfilled shift". There was no documentation of coordination with the other agency to attempt to fill the unfilled shifts. There was no documentation that the physician was notified of the missed shifts. There were no verbal orders to amend the duration and/or frequency of services provided.
The POC contained orders to change the tracheostomy tube (tube inserted through the neck into the airway) every seven (7) days and PRN. Tracheostomy tube changes were documented as completed on September 13, 2023, October 16, 2023, October 31, 2023, and November 9, 2023. The POC contained orders for SN to monitor End Tidal CO2 (ETCO2), (amount of carbon dioxide expired at the end of a breath) 3x/day, continuously overnight, and as needed for increased work of breathing. Review of the nursing flow sheet revealed no documentation of ETCO2 on September 30, October 1, October 21, and October 22, 2023.
Review of the medications ordered on the POC revealed six(6) medications to be given daily, four (4) medications to be given two (2) times per day, three (3) medications to be given three (3) times per day, two (2) medications to be given four (4) times per day, one (1) medication to be given Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and thirteen (13) medications to be given PRN. The MAR contained no documentation of the times that the medications were to be given. Ocular lubricant ointment was ordered on the POC to be administered to both eyes every two (2) hours, except when Erythromycin (antibiotic) eye ointment is due. There was no order on the POC for Erythromycin eye ointment. There was no documentation of the ocular lubricant being administered at any time during the certification period reviewed.

An interview with the Administrator on February 12, 2024, at approximately 4:00 P.M. confirmed the above findings.








Plan of Correction:

CR #2 Plan of care updated to reflect a clause that states the actual hours that Aveanna provides services for and verbal order was sent to the providing doctor. Missed shifts were added for any hour that was not worked per the frequency section on the Aveanna Plan of Care back to the beginning of February and sent to doctor.
The documentation issues could not be corrected due to being in the past.
CR #3 Client to be discharged this week no updates made
CR #4 Plan of care updated to reflect a clause that states the actual hours that Aveanna provides services for and verbal order was sent to the providing doctor. Missed shifts were added for any hour that was not worked per the frequency section on the Aveanna Plan of Care back to the beginning of February and sent to doctor.
The documentation issues could not be corrected due to being in the past.
CR #5 Plan of care updated to reflect a clause that states the actual hours that Aveanna provides services for and verbal order was sent to the providing doctor. Missed shifts were added for any hour that was not worked per the frequency section on the Aveanna Plan of Care back to the beginning of February and sent to doctor.
The documentation issues could not be corrected due to being in the past.
PRN medication updated with frequency.
CR #6 Missed shifts were added for any hour that was not worked per the frequency section on the Aveanna Plan of Care back to the beginning of February and sent to doctor.
CR#7 Missed shifts were added for any hour that was not worked per the frequency section on the Aveanna Plan of Care back to the beginning of February and sent to doctor.
CR# 9- Client no longer a patient of Aveanna
The Plan of Care unable to corrected to being in the past


Missed Shifts:

Re-education will be provided to operations staff on the missed shift policy. During that time stressing the importance of the need to document anytime that hours are missed not just a full shift being missed. Nursing Director/Executive Director responsibility within two weeks

Re-education will be provided to the internal clinical staff making sure that the Plan of Care frequency matches the authorization and typically scheduled hours. Also, If the case is shared there will be a clause in the frequency section stating what Aveanna is typically responsible for and what other agency is involved with care. Nursing Director/Executive Director responsibility within two weeks

Re-education to all internal staff on the importance of clear up to date communication about changes to the authorization or scheduled shifts. Also, coordination of care with other agencies whom cases are shared with will be documented at least monthly in the notes section in GLS by the operations team. Nursing Director/Executive Director responsibility within two weeks

Clinical supervisors will review all Plan's of care at next recertification period visit and compare every current authorization and hours scheduled to what is in the frequencies section on the Plan of care and assure they match. This will be completed 4/12/2024.

Operations staff will compare all schedules to current authorizations and the frequency section on the Plan of care and assure that all hours Aveanna is responsible for are accounted for in the missed visit reports. This will be completed by 4/12/2024.

A quality improvement indicator has been created to track this process and will be monitored throughout location QAPI meeting. Nursing Director/Executive Director responsible for on-going until compliance is met.



Documentation by external nurses of all interventions on the Plan of Care

Re-educate all clinical staff on reporting anything that is on the Plan of care regardless of if it occurs on the shift or not on their daily assessment. Also, to stress the importance of the timing/frequency for each intervention on the Plan of Care and the need to notify the office is it has changed. Reviewing the treatment sheet section on the daily assessment documentation and how beneficial it is to document interventions efficiently. Nursing Director/Executive Director responsibility within two weeks

Every active nurses documentation will be reviewed before next recertification period and reviewed at visit or over the phone for compliance with documentation of interventions appropriately. A sheet will be created for a quick reference during visit to assist with compliance going forward. 2-3 notes per nurse will be reviewed weekly for compliance until compliance is met. Clinical internal staff responsible for initial review by 4/12/24 and then ongoing for compliance

A quality improvement indicator has been created to track this process and will be monitored throughout location QAPI meeting. Nursing Director/Executive Director responsible.



Medication timing

Re-educate external clinical staff on the importance of documenting all medications during the worked shift as given or not given and if not given the reason why. Text message/email to be sent to Clinical staff within two weeks.

Meet with internal clinical staff and come up with an effective way to document the timing of medications. Nursing Director responsible for within two weeks.

Roll out the plan and update documentation within 30 days

A quality improvement indicator will be created to track this process and will be monitored throughout location QAPI meeting. Nursing Director/Executive Director responsible.


PRN medications with no frequencies

Re-educate all internal clinical staff on the need for all medications including PRN to have a frequency. Clinical director within two weeks

Internal clinical staff will review all medication profiles and update any medication that do not have a frequency attached to it within the next 60 days.
A quality improvement indicator will be created to track this process and will be monitored throughout location QAPI meeting. Nursing Director/Executive Director responsible.


Plan of Care not returned within 30 days

Plans of care will be sent timely and resent every 7 days for the first 14 days. If not returned within 14 days a call will be placed to doctor's office to inquire if there is an issue and it assure it has been received. After the call Plan of care will be sent weekly to obtain signature followed up with a phone call. Internal clinical team ongoing

Re-educate internal clinical team on the policy for plan of care return timeframe. Also, teach them the above guidelines for obtaining a signature. Clinical director within two weeks.

Send a reminder letter about the requirements for homecare orders being signed via fax after 14 days to any doctor that has not signed a plan of care. Internal clinical ongoing

A quality improvement indicator will be created to track this process and will be monitored throughout location QAPI meeting. Nursing Director/Executive Director responsible.



Initial Comments:

Based on the findings of an on-site home health agency state re-licensure survey conducted February 7, 2024, through February 8, 2024, and concluded off-site on February 12, 2024, Aveanna Healthcare was found to be in compliance with the requirements of 28 Pa. Code, Health Facilities, Part IV, Chapter 51, Subpart A.






Plan of Correction:




Initial Comments:

Based on the findings of an on-site home health agency state re-licensure survey conducted February 7, 2024, through February 8, 2024, and concluded off-site on February 12, 2024, Aveanna Healthcare was found to be in compliance with the requirements of 35 P.S. 448.809 (b).





Plan of Correction: