Failure to Protect Resident from Verbal and Mental Abuse
Penalty
Summary
A resident with moderate cognitive impairment, frequent incontinence, and a need for assistance with personal care experienced verbal and mental abuse from a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) assigned through a staffing agency. The resident reported that the CNA became upset and yelled at her after she had episodes of diarrhea, and also gave her dirty looks while providing care. The resident expressed feelings of humiliation and mortification as a result of the CNA's behavior, and was observed crying by staff. The incident was documented in the resident's progress notes, and the resident stated she could not stop crying after the event. Interviews with staff confirmed the resident's emotional distress, with one LPN noting that the resident's reaction was different from her usual tearfulness. The CNA involved denied yelling but acknowledged telling the resident to wait while she attended to another patient. The facility's policy defines mental abuse as including humiliation and demeaning statements, which aligns with the resident's account of the incident. The events leading to the deficiency were directly related to the CNA's inappropriate response and attitude toward the resident during a vulnerable moment.