Failure to Ensure Nurse Aide Certification Within Required Timeframe
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that three nurse aides (NA B, NA C, and NA D) were either enrolled in or had completed an approved training course within four months of employment. NA B, hired on January 30, 2024, NA C, hired on September 15, 2023, and NA D, hired on March 15, 2024, were all working full-time without certification. During interviews, NA B confirmed he had not been certified or attended training courses. The Director of Nursing (DON) acknowledged the lack of certified nurse aides and cited the absence of cost-effective local training programs as a barrier. The facility's policy requires all newly hired personnel to attend a 10-hour orientation program within the first five days of employment, which is separate from the 75-hour Nurse Aide Training Program. The facility's assessment tool indicated a significant number of residents required staff assistance for daily activities, with staffing ratios of 2:35 during the day, 1-2:35 in the evening, and 1:35 at night. Despite the supervision by LVNs, the facility's failure to ensure nurse aides were certified within the required timeframe placed residents at risk of receiving care from individuals with unknown skill levels.
Penalty
Resources
Below are regulatory guidelines relevant to this citation:
A nursing assistant who had completed CNA coursework but had not passed the state certification test was allowed to work as a CNA for longer than the four months permitted for uncertified aides. Human Resources confirmed the staff member continued working past the allowed period, resulting in non-compliance with staff qualification requirements and potentially affecting all residents.
The facility failed to ensure nursing assistants received required training before providing direct care, affecting all 46 residents. A nurse aide in training performed duties without formal training, and several nursing assistants were hired without being on the nurse aide registry or enrolled in training programs. The facility believed they had four months to enroll aides in classes, but some worked longer without enrollment.
Unqualified Nursing Assistant Worked Beyond Permitted Timeframe
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that a nursing assistant was properly qualified to provide resident care, as required by regulations. Record review showed that a nursing assistant was hired after completing a CNA course but had not passed the state certification test. Despite this, the staff member worked as a CNA for a period exceeding the four months allowed for individuals who have not yet obtained certification. Human Resources confirmed that the nursing assistant continued to work past the permitted timeframe without having passed the state test, resulting in non-compliance with staffing qualification requirements. This issue had the potential to affect all 142 residents in the facility, as the staff member was involved in direct resident care.
Failure to Ensure Proper Training for Nursing Assistants
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that nursing assistants received the required training before providing direct care to residents, potentially affecting all 46 residents. Employee #145, a nurse aide in training, had not started formal training classes but was performing duties equivalent to a state-tested nursing assistant, including helping with meals, providing showers, and incontinence care. Despite having previous experience in a group home, Employee #145 had not received dementia training or training on handling aggressive behaviors. The Human Resource employee confirmed that Employee #145 was not enrolled in classes and was functioning as a state-tested nursing assistant based on the Administrator's instructions. Additionally, the facility hired several nursing assistants who were not on the nurse aide registry at the time of hire and were not enrolled in nurse aide registry classes or nursing school. These employees, including STNA #155, STNA #120, and STNA #110, had their skills checked off on orientation checklists despite not being registered or enrolled in training programs. The Human Resource employee verified that the facility believed they had four months to enroll aides in classes, and some employees had worked longer than four months without being enrolled in the NATCEP program, as the Administrator decided the timing of enrollment.
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