Failure to Complete Required Background Check for Medical Records Director
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to comply with Nevada Revised Statute (NRS) 449.174 by not ensuring that a Medical Records Director (Non-Nurse) had completed fingerprinting and received clearance through the Nevada Automated Background System (NABS) before accessing resident records. The Medical Records Director had been assisting with the coding of resident records for several months and had entered multiple diagnoses into a resident's clinical record. Review of the personnel file for this employee revealed no documented evidence of fingerprinting or background check clearance. The Administrator confirmed that the Medical Records Director had accessed resident records without the required NABS clearance and stated unawareness of the state requirement for background checks for skilled nursing employees. The employee's job description indicated a responsibility to perform duties in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, and facility policy required background checks for all employees, including those providing services on behalf of the facility. The deficiency was identified through clinical and personnel record review, document review, and interviews.