Failure to Complete and Maintain Required Employability Status Checks for Staff
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to follow its written policies and procedures designed to prohibit and prevent abuse, neglect, exploitation of residents, and misappropriation of resident property. Specifically, the facility did not ensure that required Employability Status Checks (EMR/NAR) were completed and maintained for two employees, an RN and a Dietary Manager (DM), prior to their hire dates. Record reviews revealed that neither employee had documentation of an EMR/NAR check in their files as required by facility policy, which mandates that all team members, regardless of position, must have this verification completed before employment. Interviews with the HR staff confirmed that she was responsible for running and maintaining EMR checks but could not provide evidence that the checks were completed for the RN and DM before their hire. The HR stated that she may have run the check for the RN but could not locate the documentation, and for the DM, she assumed the contracted company handled the check, but no proof was available. The Administrator acknowledged that the policy was not followed and that all staff, including contracted employees with resident contact, should have had EMR checks completed and maintained in their files.