Failure to Verify CNA License Prior to Employment
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to verify that a Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) had a current and active license prior to employment and assignment to resident care duties. Review of the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) nurse aide registry showed that the CNA's license was expired at the time of hire. Despite this, the CNA was hired and allowed to work on the floor providing direct care to residents for seven days with an expired license. Multiple staff interviews confirmed that the required license verification was not completed before the CNA began working, with administrative staff each believing the other had conducted the necessary checks. The facility's own policy required that nursing personnel present verification of their license or certification to the DON before or upon employment and prohibited them from performing direct resident care services until all licensing and background checks were completed. However, this policy was not followed in the case of the CNA, resulting in the individual providing resident care without a valid license for an extended period.