Failure to Conduct Required FBI Background Check for New Employee
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to develop and implement an abuse prohibition policy that required a thorough investigation of prospective employees' employment history. Specifically, the facility did not conduct an FBI background check for Employee 7, a cook, who had not lived in the state where the facility is located for more than two consecutive years. This oversight was identified during a review of Employee 7's personnel record, which showed that the employee was hired 129 days prior to the review without the necessary FBI background check being completed. Interviews with Employee 8 from human resources and the Nursing Home Administrator confirmed that the facility did not complete the FBI background check within the required 90 days of employment. Despite this, Employee 7 had been providing services and had access to residents since being hired. This failure to adhere to the facility's policy on background checks represents a deficiency in ensuring the safety and protection of residents from potential abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
Plan Of Correction
1. No residents were harmed. Employee 7, who served as a dietary cook, was promptly removed from the schedule and will not be permitted to return until fingerprints are collected for the personnel record. 2. The human resources department conducted an audit of employee files to verify that all "out of state" employees had successfully undergone FBI fingerprint background checks. 3. The facility administrator educated the HR department of the essential requirements to ensure that "out of state" employees are completing the required fingerprint background checks. The HR Director will complete a new hire checklist sheet to ensure all FBI/fingerprint background checks are completed within 90 days of hire. 4. The Facility Administrator or designee will conduct weekly audits for a duration of four weeks, followed by monthly audits for an additional three months, to verify that fingerprint background checks are being performed on "out of state" new hires in a timely manner. All audit findings will be presented at the monthly Quality Assurance meeting for evaluation.