Failure to Employ Full-Time LMSW in Facility with Over 120 Beds
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to employ a full-time qualified Licensed Medical Social Worker (LMSW) as required for facilities with more than 120 certified beds. Record review showed that the facility was certified for 132 beds, but there was no LMSW employed at the time of the survey. The Social Services Director, who was a social worker, left the facility in mid-August, and since then, the facility has been without a licensed social worker. The Social Services Assistant (SSA), whose background is as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), has been attempting to fill the role in the interim, with some support from a corporate liaison whose official title and role were unclear to the SSA. Interviews with facility leadership, including the Administrator, DON, and ADON, confirmed that the responsibilities of the social worker included scheduling care plans, handling grievances, assisting with discharge planning, and coordinating discharge and home health services. It was further confirmed that the facility had no LMSW on staff at the time of the survey, and the resource currently supporting the SSA was an RN, not an LMSW. All 130/130 certified beds were potentially affected by the absence of a full-time LMSW to provide necessary psychosocial support and services.