Resident Belongings Mishandled During Discharge
Penalty
Summary
A resident's personal belongings were not treated with respect during the discharge process. When the resident was transferred to another facility, a family member arrived to collect the resident's items and found that all belongings had been placed together in a single bag on a dirty cart. The family member observed that chocolate syrup had leaked onto the resident's clothes, contaminating them. Staff interviews confirmed that food items, specifically a bottle of chocolate syrup, were packed together with clothing, resulting in the spillage. The staff involved were unclear about who specifically packed the belongings, but it was acknowledged that the facility's policy prohibits packing food with clothing and requires respectful handling of resident property. The Director of Nursing (DON) and an LPN both stated that the facility was not informed in advance that the family would be picking up the belongings, and the process for packing and storing items was not properly followed. The family member refused to accept the contaminated belongings and requested a refund, which led to further communication attempts with the facility's administration. The facility's policy, dated March 2025, specifies that resident belongings must be treated with respect, regardless of their perceived value, a standard that was not met in this instance.