Verbal Abuse of Resident by LPN
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a resident, who had diagnoses including hemiplegia, hemiparesis following cerebral infarction, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and aphasia, was subjected to verbal abuse by a staff member. The resident was cognitively intact and required staff assistance with activities of daily living. On the date of the incident, a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) used profane language and spoke in a verbally abusive manner toward the resident, an event witnessed by both the resident and another nurse. The facility's self-reported incident documentation and interviews confirmed that the verbal abuse took place, which was in direct violation of the facility's zero-tolerance policy for abuse, including verbal abuse. The incident was substantiated through the facility's investigation, which included review of the medical record, staff interviews, and policy review.