Failure to Ensure Resident Dignity and Respect During Care
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a resident, who was alert, oriented, and able to communicate needs, was not treated with dignity and respect by a Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) during an overnight shift. The resident, who had multiple sclerosis, paraplegia, a colostomy, chronic wounds, anxiety, and depression, was fully dependent on staff for care and was cognitively intact according to the most recent assessment. During early morning care, the resident reported that the CNA roughly grabbed and squeezed their left wrist, spoke in a rude and disrespectful manner, and laughed at the resident when asked for his name. The incident was reported by the resident to a nurse immediately after it occurred. The resident described that when they were unable to turn as requested by the CNA, the aide became upset, raised his voice, and continued to be rude. The resident also reported that the CNA responded to their request for his name by laughing and leaving the room. Multiple staff interviews confirmed that the resident consistently described the CNA's behavior as rough, rude, and disrespectful, and that the resident felt hurt and disrespected by the interaction. Facility records and staff interviews indicated that the resident's complaints were promptly reported and documented. The facility's internal investigation substantiated the resident's account of being treated in a manner that was not consistent with the facility's policy on resident rights, which requires all residents to be treated with kindness, respect, and dignity. The CNA involved denied being physically or verbally abusive but did acknowledge that the resident complained about rough care and that he apologized.