Failure to Implement Abuse Prevention Policy for Resident Property
Penalty
Summary
A Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) failed to follow facility policy by taking a resident's credit card out of the facility to make purchases on two occasions, after the resident requested assistance in buying cigarettes. The CNA acknowledged that this action was against facility policy, which prohibits staff from using residents' credit cards or making purchases on their behalf with credit cards or checks. The facility's Social Services staff confirmed that only Social Services or Activities staff are permitted to make purchases for residents, and only with cash, not credit cards. The Director of Nursing (DON) and the CNA both confirmed that the CNA took the card despite knowing it was not allowed under facility policy. Subsequently, the resident reported fraudulent charges totaling approximately $833 on her credit card, which occurred after the CNA had returned the card. The facility's policy on incidents of theft and misappropriation of resident property requires prompt and thorough investigation of all reports and includes measures to safeguard resident valuables, such as controlled access and locked safes. The DON stated that staff did not follow the established policy in this matter, resulting in a failure to implement abuse prevention procedures designed to prohibit misappropriation of resident property.