Failure to Remove Staff from Resident Care After Abuse Allegation
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to protect all residents from potential abuse when a Geriatric Nursing Assistant (GNA) was allowed to continue caring for other residents after an allegation of abuse was made. Specifically, a resident with intact cognition reported to a Registered Nurse (RN) that the GNA pushed them in the head during care, causing the resident to fall back into bed. The RN assessed the resident, found no injuries, and removed the GNA from the assignment for the resident and their roommate. However, the GNA was reassigned to care for other residents and continued working the remainder of the shift and the following day. Facility policy required immediate action to protect all residents from potential harm during an abuse investigation, including removing the alleged perpetrator from resident care assignments. Despite this, the GNA was only removed from the care of the reporting resident and their roommate, not from all resident care duties. The GNA continued to work with other residents until being suspended after the resident called 911 to report the incident the next day.