Failure to Provide Medically Related Social Services After Verbal Abuse Incidents
Penalty
Summary
Facility staff failed to provide medically related social services to three residents following incidents of verbal abuse by staff members. In one case, a resident with a high BIMS score, indicating intact cognitive function, reported being verbally abused by a dietary staff member. The resident expressed feeling disrespected and affected by the incident, and stated that no one had previously asked how the event made him feel. The director of discharge planning/social services was not aware of the incident and did not complete a psychosocial assessment or document any trauma-informed screening for the resident. For two additional residents, written statements documented that an LPN yelled at them and used inappropriate language. Despite these reports, there was no evidence in the clinical records that the residents' psychosocial status was assessed or that psychosocial interventions were implemented following the incidents. The director of discharge planning/social services confirmed that she did not complete a formal assessment or follow-up for these residents after the reported verbal abuse. Interviews with facility staff, including the director of nursing and other clinical staff, revealed an expectation that psychosocial assessments and follow-up with psychiatric or psychological services should occur after allegations of abuse. However, documentation and assessments were not completed as required by facility policy, which states that social work and discharge planning staff are responsible for identifying and assisting with patients' psychosocial and medically related social service needs.