Failure to Ensure Dignity and Respect During Personal Care
Penalty
Summary
A certified nursing assistant (CNA) failed to treat a resident with dignity and respect during personal care. The resident, who was dependent on staff for toileting, showering, sitting, standing, and transferring due to a broken left leg, broken left wrist, and generalized muscle weakness, was subjected to derogatory and offensive language by the CNA. The CNA made comments such as "It smells bad and stinky," "You are trash, messy, and stinky," and "This is smelly and disgusting" while providing incontinence care. These remarks caused the resident to feel humiliated, insulted, and emotionally distressed, resulting in her crying and staying awake all night after the incident. The resident reported the incident to facility staff, including a nurse and the social worker, and later filed a grievance. The CNA acknowledged making inappropriate comments and recognized that his words had offended and hurt the resident. Interviews with facility staff confirmed that the language used by the CNA was inappropriate and constituted verbal abuse, as it caused mental anguish and emotional distress to the resident.