CNA Exploits Resident's Debit Card for Unauthorized Purchases
Penalty
Summary
A certified nursing assistant (CNA) used a resident's debit card to make unauthorized purchases totaling $1,900, constituting exploitation and misappropriation of resident property. The incident was discovered when the facility attempted to process a payment with the resident's debit card, which was declined. The resident, who was moderately cognitively impaired with a Brief Interview for Mental Status (BIMS) score of 12 out of 15, confirmed the incident during an interview. The CNA admitted to obtaining the debit card number and making the purchases, later acknowledging the violation of facility rules and resigning. The facility's policy prohibits abuse, neglect, exploitation, and misappropriation of resident property, defining exploitation as taking advantage of a resident for personal gain. Despite this policy, the CNA was able to access and use the resident's financial information. The resident had a medical history including hypertension, fractures, protein malnutrition, and physical disability, and was admitted to the facility with these diagnoses. The incident resulted in a significant financial loss for the resident, with only partial recovery of the funds at the time of the report.