Failure to Verify Professional Licenses Before Employment
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to verify professional licenses prior to employment for four out of five new hires, which is a violation of their own personnel policies and procedures. The policy, dated 1/11/24, mandates that background checks, including verification of professional licenses, be completed before employment to ensure the safety and well-being of residents and staff. However, the personnel records for an LPN and three RNs did not include completed license verification checks before their respective hire dates. Interviews with facility staff confirmed the oversight. The Regional Human Resource Employee acknowledged that the verification should have been completed before the start date, and the Director of Nursing confirmed the failure to verify licenses for the four employees. This deficiency was identified during a review of new hire files and staff interviews, highlighting a lapse in adherence to the facility's established procedures for pre-employment screening.
Plan Of Correction
1. Registered Nurse Employee E4 no longer works at the facility. Licensed Nurse Employee E1, Registered Nurse E3, Registered Nurse E5's licenses were verified by 1/17/25. 2. The Human Resource Director/designee will audit current licensed staff to ensure licenses are verified and in good standing. 3. The Human Resource Director will be re-educated on facility policies for Background checks by the Nursing Home Administrator/designee. 4. The Nursing Home Administrator/designee will audit new hires weekly for four weeks and monthly for three months to ensure licensed staff licenses are verified and in good standing. Outcomes will be reported to the Quality Assurance Performance Improvement Committee for review and recommendations.