Failure to Respect Resident's Rights Regarding Personal Belongings
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to treat a resident with dignity and respect when the Administrator took possession of the resident's personal checkbook against the resident's wishes. The Administrator, accompanied by a nurse, entered the resident's room and requested the checkbook, citing the need to assist with Medicaid application and concerns from the resident's Power of Attorney (POA) regarding unauthorized check writing. Despite the resident's initial refusal and expressed anger, the Administrator persisted, and the resident eventually surrendered the checkbook after being assured they would be informed if any checks were written while it was in the Administrator's possession. After obtaining the checkbook, the Administrator stored it in her personal desk rather than the facility's resident safe, stating she was unfamiliar with the safe's process. The checkbook remained in the Administrator's desk over a weekend, and the Administrator left for a family emergency before transferring the checkbook to the POA. During this period, the resident requested the return of the checkbook, and staff members observed the resident's distress and the Administrator's dismissive behavior toward both the resident and staff present during these interactions. There was no documentation in the resident's medical record regarding the Administrator's discussions with the POA, the interaction with the resident, the storage of the checkbook, or the plan for its return. The facility's policies on patient rights and resident responsibilities emphasize the right to dignity, respect, and the ability to keep personal belongings safe, which were not upheld in this instance. The actions taken by the Administrator were not in line with usual facility practice, as confirmed by other staff interviews.