Failure to Maintain Resident Dignity During Staff Interaction
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a nurse aide failed to treat a resident in a dignified and respectful manner. The resident, who had moderate cognitive impairment and required assistance with toileting and transfers, attempted to go to the bathroom unassisted and subsequently fell. Following the fall, the nurse aide engaged in a verbal altercation with the resident, raising her voice, yelling, and arguing with him in the presence of other staff. Witnesses reported that the nurse aide was verbally aggressive, stood over the resident, and was disrespectful and argumentative, which caused the resident to become upset. The incident was corroborated by multiple staff members who observed the nurse aide's behavior. One nurse reported that the aide screamed and cursed at the resident, while another aide described the aide as being snippy, irritable, and raising her voice. The resident was visibly upset by the interaction, and the situation required intervention by a nurse, who instructed the aide to leave the room. After the aide's removal, the resident was assisted back to bed and calmed down. The resident involved had no prior behavioral issues and had recently returned from the hospital, indicating a potentially vulnerable state. The nurse aide admitted in a written statement to raising her voice and acknowledged that the situation could have been handled better. The administrator confirmed that the staff member's conduct was disrespectful and not appropriate, regardless of any personal issues the aide may have been experiencing at the time.