Unauthorized Use of Resident's Debit Card by Staff
Penalty
Summary
A resident with diagnoses including dementia, anxiety, depression, and psychotic disorder, and assessed as having moderate cognitive impairment, reported that her wallet and debit card were missing after she had placed her purse at the foot of her bed and fallen asleep. Upon reviewing her bank statement, the resident identified several unauthorized transactions, including purchases at a local gas station and a phone bill payment that did not belong to her. The resident contacted local police, who reviewed surveillance footage and determined that a CNA was responsible for the unauthorized use of the debit card. The facility's investigation revealed that the CNA had taken the resident's debit card without consent and made multiple unauthorized purchases. The facility did not have a written policy regarding staff making purchases for residents, but the administrator stated that only department heads or the Activity Director were permitted to make purchases on a resident's behalf, and only with the resident's permission. The facility did have a policy requiring all reports of theft or misappropriation of resident property to be reported to appropriate agencies.