Verbal Abuse by CNA Toward Resident
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a certified nurse assistant (CNA) verbally threatened a resident, failing to protect the resident from verbal abuse as required by facility policy and federal and state regulations. The incident involved a cognitively intact resident who reported that the CNA shut a door in his face, refused to let him into the smoking area, and subsequently engaged in an argument with him. During the altercation, the CNA told the resident she would slap him and, when the resident threatened to call the police, stated she would put him in the morgue. The resident confirmed these statements during an interview, and another cognitively intact resident corroborated hearing the threats and the argument. A third resident also reported hearing the argument and the accusation regarding the door being closed. The facility's investigation included interviews with the involved residents and the CNA. The CNA denied making the specific threats but admitted to cursing at the resident after being cursed at. The administrator confirmed that the CNA's actions, including cursing and the threats, constituted verbal abuse according to facility policy, which defines verbal and mental abuse as conduct that can cause fear, humiliation, or intimidation. The residents involved were all cognitively intact, as indicated by their Brief Interview for Mental Status (BIMS) scores. The incident was substantiated based on resident interviews and the facility's internal investigation.