Failure to Maintain Accurate Inventory of Resident's Personal Effects
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain a complete and accurate Inventory of Personal Effects for a resident, as required by its own policy and accepted professional standards. Upon admission, the resident's inventory form did not include all personal belongings, specifically omitting the resident's car and car keys, and the form was not signed by the resident. The omission was confirmed during a review of the resident's records, which showed that the inventory was signed only by a registered nurse, who could not recall why the resident had not signed the form or why the car and keys were not listed. The facility's policy requires that all items brought into the facility be listed and that the inventory form be signed by both the resident (or representative) and an employee. The deficiency came to light following an incident in which smoke was observed coming from a car parked in the facility's lot, later identified as belonging to the resident in question. The car had been parked at the facility for an extended period, had previously been vandalized, and was ultimately towed by police for an arson investigation. Interviews with facility staff and the resident's family member revealed that the car had been present for years, had been moved within the parking lot, and had suffered damage, but was never reported or properly documented as the resident's property in facility records. Further review of the resident's transfer documentation to a hospital showed that personal belongings were not listed at the time of transfer. The facility's interim administrator acknowledged that the lack of a complete and signed inventory made it difficult to monitor or verify the resident's belongings. The facility's policy and procedure on personal property explicitly require listing all items and obtaining the necessary signatures, which was not followed in this case.