Failure to Protect Resident's Property from Misappropriation
Penalty
Summary
A resident with a diagnosis of diabetes was admitted to the facility in March 2024. After the resident passed away at the hospital, a registered nurse (RN) collected the resident's personal belongings, including six credit and debit cards, and secured them in the narcotic lock box within the medication cart. The RN informed the next nurse, an LPN, about the cards being locked in the cart. Subsequently, the cards went missing and were not found during a later check by the RN. Interviews and record reviews revealed that the LPN who took over the shift was acting unusually and did not return to work after the incident. Other staff members confirmed the LPN's odd behavior and lack of task completion during the shift. The resident's power of attorney was notified of the missing cards, and law enforcement was contacted. The facility administrator confirmed that the cards were missing and not recovered.