Failure to Verify CNA Certification and Work History
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) was properly certified and eligible to work by verifying continuous employment on the Health Care Worker Registry. The staff roster showed that the CNA, identified as V11, was hired by the facility, and the registry check indicated work eligibility. However, the registry also stated that employers are responsible for verifying training, work history, and certifications. There was no documentation confirming V11's employment as a CNA after a certain date, and V11 herself reported a break in her CNA career to be a stay-at-home parent, during which she worked as a private sitter in a home setting, not as a CNA. V11 was unaware of any lapse in her certification. Interviews with facility staff, including the Administrator, Director of Nurses, and Medical Records/Office Assistant, revealed that none were aware of any certified staff working without proper certification. The Administrator and Medical Records/Office Assistant described their process for background and registry checks but could not confirm that V11's employment history as a CNA was verified prior to her hiring. An email from the Health Care Worker Registry indicated that V11's CNA certification had expired and that her work history was missing from the registry. The facility was unable to provide proof of V11's employment as a CNA during the period in question.