Failure to Prevent Misappropriation of Resident Property
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when the facility failed to protect a resident with alcohol-induced dementia and moderate cognitive impairment from misappropriation of property. The resident, who required assistance with personal care and was known to frequently give out his debit card to staff and others to make purchases, had his debit card used without authorization. The facility's records and interviews revealed that the resident's debit card was used on multiple occasions in various cities, including a transaction to pay rent for a certified nursing assistant (CNA) employed at the facility. The resident was unable to recall to whom he had given his card or the circumstances surrounding the transactions. Staff interviews confirmed that the resident regularly asked staff and others to make purchases for him using his debit card, and it was common knowledge among staff that he would give out his card. The facility's care plan did not address the resident's risk for abuse or neglect, despite his cognitive impairment and behavior. The investigation determined that a staff member used the resident's debit card for personal expenses, which was corroborated by bank statements and a reverse search of the transaction. The staff member implicated was subsequently terminated, but the incident demonstrated a failure to prevent misappropriation of resident property as required by facility policy.