Failure to Ensure Nursing Staff Maintained Current Licensure
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that a registered nurse (RN) maintained a current and valid nursing license in accordance with state laws and regulations. Record review and interviews revealed that the RN's license had expired, and the facility did not verify or identify the lapse in licensure. The Human Resources (HR) staff member responsible for conducting monthly license verifications and annual background checks was unaware of the expired license and had not completed the required checks for the RN during the current year. The RN continued to work as a full-time charge nurse and later as PRN without a valid license until termination. The Administrator (ADM) was not aware of the RN's expired license and believed all nursing licenses were current. The ADM stated that if he had known about the expired license, the RN would have been suspended until renewal. The facility did not provide a policy for review regarding license verification. The deficiency was confirmed through the state board of nursing's online verification, which showed the RN's license as expired. No information was provided regarding any residents directly affected by this deficiency.