Misappropriation of Resident Funds by Agency Nurse Aide
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a resident, who was cognitively intact and required hands-on assistance for activities of daily living, reported a significant amount of money missing from their wallet. The resident alleged that the theft was committed by a nurse aide from a staffing agency. The facility became aware of the claim and initiated an investigation, which included interviews with the resident and all staff present at the time of the alleged incident, as well as a review of medical records. During the investigation, a certified nurse aide confessed to taking the resident's money from the wallet that was hanging on the resident's wheelchair while in the room. Further investigation by the facility's police force led to the discovery of a bag containing the stolen money in the nurse aide's vehicle. The aide admitted to taking the funds, and this confession was documented in a statement by the facility's police department. The incident was also reported in local news, and the aide was subsequently charged with theft from the elderly. The facility's policy prohibits and aims to prevent abuse, neglect, exploitation, and misappropriation of resident property, but in this instance, the policy was not effectively upheld, resulting in the misappropriation of the resident's funds.