Failure to Replace Stolen Personal Possessions for Resident
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to allow a resident to retain his personal possessions, specifically his cellphone and cellphone charger, after they were reported stolen by his former roommate. The resident, who was cognitively intact and required moderate to maximum assistance with activities of daily living due to muscle weakness and paraplegia, reported the theft to the Social Worker, Director of Nursing, and Administrator on several occasions. Despite these reports, the facility did not replace the stolen items in a timely manner, resulting in the resident feeling angry because he was unable to contact his family members. Record reviews revealed that the resident's inventory list was incomplete and that the Social Service Director was aware of the missing items but did not document the incident in the medical record. The Social Service Assistant also acknowledged being informed of the theft but failed to follow up with the Administrator for approval to replace the items. The facility's policy states that residents are permitted to retain and use personal possessions, and staff are to treat residents' belongings with respect, but these procedures were not followed in this case.