Failure to Provide Required Annual Abuse Prevention Training to Staff
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide required annual training to staff on abuse identification, prevention, and reporting, as well as education on neglect, exploitation, and misappropriation of resident property. Record review revealed that five staff members, including three certified nurse aides, one registered nurse, and one licensed practical nurse, did not have documentation of having completed the mandated annual abuse training within the past 12 months. The facility's policy requires all employees to receive orientation and ongoing training on abuse prevention and reporting, including bi-annual in-service training, but there was no evidence that this was completed for the staff reviewed. Interviews with the nursing home administrator (NHA) and director of nursing (DON) confirmed the lack of documentation for the required training. The NHA, who had been in the role for three months, was unable to locate records of abuse in-service training for the identified staff. The DON, who assumed responsibility for staff education after the previous staffing coordinator resigned, also could not confirm that the training had been completed. This lack of training and documentation directly led to the deficiency cited by surveyors.