Failure to Verify CNA Certification Prior to Employment
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that nursing staff were licensed or certified in accordance with state laws. During a review of licenses and certifications for three nursing staff members, it was found that one staff member, hired as a CNA, did not have certification to work as a CNA in the state. The HR personnel, who was recently hired, was unable to locate the certification for this staff member and confirmed that the staff member could not provide proof of certification. This deficiency had the potential to affect all 61 residents in the facility, as the staff member was providing care without the required credentials. The review and interviews with HR personnel revealed that the certification was not verified at the time of hire, and the staff member continued to work without proper documentation of state-required certification.