Staff Emotional Abuse and Exploitation of Residents via Social Media
Penalty
Summary
Staff members engaged in emotionally abusive and exploitative behavior toward three residents by recording videos in which they mocked and ridiculed the residents. In one instance, a licensed nurse aide was recorded lying in a resident's bed, talking about cuddling, and mocking the resident, while another staff member filmed and both giggled. In other cases, a staff member was recorded sitting on the edge of a resident's bed, mocking the resident's cognitive state, and in another, standing next to a resident's bed and mocking the resident's speech. These videos were shared via social media with a third party, specifically the daughter of a registered nurse at the facility. The incidents were not immediately reported; the videos were shown to the registered nurse months after they were created, who then reported them to the facility's administrator and director of nursing. The residents involved were later interviewed, but did not recall the incidents, and telepsychology assessments found no identified trauma. The staff members involved were identified through investigation and their actions were confirmed through interviews and record review.