Failure to Ensure Abuse Prevention Training for Nursing Assistant
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that nursing staff possessed the appropriate competencies and skill sets to provide care that assures resident safety and maximizes well-being, as required by resident assessments and individual care plans. Specifically, a review of records and staff interviews revealed that a nursing assistant, Staff A, did not complete the required Abuse Prohibition training upon hire, as mandated by facility policy. This deficiency was identified during the investigation of an alleged staff-to-resident abuse incident involving Staff A and a resident with multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, who was cognitively intact at the time of the incident. Further review showed that the facility's Abuse Prohibition Policy requires all employees to receive training on abuse prevention during orientation and at least annually. However, there was no documentation that Staff A had received this training upon hire or after the abuse allegation was reported. The Director of Nursing Services confirmed the absence of training records for Staff A and acknowledged that additional abuse prevention training would have been expected following the incident.