Failure to Ensure Nurse Aide Maintained Active Certification
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that a nurse aide (CNA A) maintained a current and active certification while employed and providing direct care to residents. Record reviews showed that CNA A's nurse aide certification had expired, and she continued to work for approximately four months, accumulating around 700 hours of resident care with an expired certification. The Texas Nurse Aide Public Registry confirmed the expired status, which rendered CNA A not employable as a nurse aide in a licensed nursing facility in Texas during that period. Interviews with facility leadership, including the Administrator, DON, and HR, revealed a lack of consistent and timely verification of staff certification statuses. The Administrator and DON were unaware of the expired certification until it was identified during a review, and both stated that staff were responsible for renewing their certifications, with HR acting as a backup. HR confirmed that certifications were checked upon hire and then yearly, but no reminders or regular reports were sent to staff or leadership regarding upcoming expirations. The facility's policy required staff to present recertifications prior to expiration and maintain current certification, but this was not followed in CNA A's case. CNA A stated she was unaware her certification had expired and had relied on previous reminders from the facility, but acknowledged it was ultimately her responsibility to ensure her certification was active. She continued to provide care to residents during the period her certification was expired. The deficiency was identified when personnel files were reviewed, and it was confirmed that CNA A had been working without a valid certification, contrary to facility policy and regulatory requirements.