Staff Misappropriation of Resident Funds
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a staff member, identified as HSK B, misappropriated funds from a resident with impaired cognitive function. The resident, a female with diagnoses including sepsis, mild cognitive impairment, and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, was admitted to the facility and had a BIMS score of 8, indicating impaired cognition. The resident enjoyed ordering food through delivery services, which involved the use of her bank card. On attempting to pay the resident's applied income, the Business Office Manager discovered insufficient funds in the resident's account due to multiple unauthorized Cash App withdrawals made to HSK B. The facility's investigation revealed that the withdrawals were made directly from the resident's bank card, with at least one transaction linked to HSK B's boyfriend, who was not employed at the facility. When confronted, HSK B denied taking the money. The incident was reported to the police, and the case was referred to the Criminal Investigation Division. The police investigation was delayed due to the need for additional documents from the resident, who was reportedly planning to move out of the country. Staff interviews confirmed that employees had received training on abuse, neglect, and misappropriation of resident property, and were aware of the protocols for reporting such incidents. The facility's policy defined misappropriation as the deliberate or wrongful use of a resident's belongings or money without consent. No other residents reported similar issues during subsequent safe surveys and grievance log reviews.