Failure to Ensure CNA Maintained Current Certification
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) maintained current certification in accordance with state laws. Record review showed that one CNA worked full-time providing resident care for two months with an expired certification. The Business Office Manager/Human Resources (BOM/HR) was unaware of the expired certification and believed it was the employee's responsibility to keep it current. The Director of Nursing (DON) was also unaware of the lapse and confirmed that the CNA had worked during the period of expired certification. The CNA was on bereavement leave at the time of the survey and was not available for interview. Interviews with facility leadership, including the Administrator, DON, Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON), and BOM/HR, revealed there was no established system or policy for regularly reviewing employee certifications or maintaining oversight of licensure status. The Administrator stated that both the DON and BOM/HR, along with the employee, were responsible for ensuring certifications were up to date, but acknowledged the absence of a formal review process. Additionally, monthly in-service trainings were not considered competency training, as they lacked pre- or post-tests and did not measure staff competency.