Resident Subjected to Verbal Abuse and Intimidation by Staff
Penalty
Summary
A resident with diagnoses including COPD, hypertension, depression, atrial fibrillation, and congestive heart failure, who was cognitively intact and required supervision for daily activities, was subjected to verbal abuse and intimidation by a dietary aide. The incident occurred when the resident attempted to get a drink in the dining room and was told by the dietary aide that he was not allowed to do so. An exchange of words escalated, culminating in the dietary aide threatening the resident by stating he would "knock his dumb f****ing a** out." The resident reported that the aide continued to threaten him even after he walked away, and that this was not the first instance of disrespectful behavior from the aide. The facility's records and staff interviews confirmed that the dietary aide admitted to responding in an unprofessional manner and acknowledged the use of threatening language. The dietary manager and administrator were informed of the incident, and the aide was suspended pending investigation. Other staff present did not directly witness the verbal exchange, but one staff member noted the aide appeared visibly upset after the incident. The resident did not have a history of dishonesty, and the aide admitted to previous confrontations with the resident, including yelling at him outside the facility. The facility's abuse prevention policy explicitly prohibits any form of abuse, including verbal abuse and intimidation, and requires immediate reporting of such incidents. The policy defines verbal abuse as the use of language that includes threats of harm or statements intended to frighten a resident. In this case, the dietary aide's actions constituted a violation of the facility's policy and resulted in the resident being subjected to verbal abuse and intimidation.