Failure to Protect Resident from Verbal Abuse by LPN
Penalty
Summary
A facility failed to protect a resident from verbal abuse by a staff member. According to the facility's abuse policy, all forms of abuse, neglect, and mistreatment are prohibited, and all allegations must be investigated. A cognitively intact resident with a history of falls, diabetes, atrial fibrillation, and seizures experienced a witnessed fall in the bathroom. Documentation and witness statements revealed that after the fall, an LPN told the resident that they could "stay on the f******g floor" and made similar statements, which were corroborated by both the resident and a nurse aide. The resident expressed that they did not want the LPN to care for them anymore. Interviews with the resident and facility staff confirmed the incident and the use of inappropriate language by the LPN following the resident's fall. The interim administrator substantiated that the LPN made the abusive statement. The facility's failure to ensure the resident was free from verbal abuse constituted a violation of resident rights and facility policy.