Staff Accepted Money from Resident in Violation of Facility Policy
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a housekeeper accepted a $350 check from a resident over a two-day period. The resident, who was cognitively intact with a BIMS score of 15 and had diagnoses including rhabdomyolysis, alcohol abuse, hypertension, anxiety disorder, and depression, was under the care of the facility. The resident's family member, who managed his checkbook, discovered a missing check after leaving it at the facility for bill payments. Upon questioning, the resident admitted to giving the check to the housekeeper, stating she needed help for a trip. The family member reported the incident to the facility's receptionist, who then notified the Administrator. The Administrator investigated and found that the housekeeper had accepted the check, despite knowing it was against facility policy. The housekeeper later admitted to taking the money after the resident offered it, and did not report the incident to her supervisor or management. The facility's policy clearly prohibits staff from accepting gifts or money from residents, and defines such actions as misappropriation of resident property. The Administrator did not report the incident to law enforcement, reasoning that the resident had voluntarily given the check and was cognitively intact. However, the facility's own protocol requires reporting any reasonable suspicion of misappropriation or exploitation to the state agency and law enforcement. The failure to prevent the housekeeper from accepting money from the resident and the lack of immediate reporting to authorities constituted the deficiency.