Failure to Provide Social Services After Misappropriation Incident
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide medically-related social services to meet the needs of a resident after an incident of misappropriation of property by a staff member. The resident, admitted for short-term rehabilitation with diagnoses including diabetes, anxiety, and heart failure, was cognitively intact and required assistance with personal care. After the facility was notified by the State Police of suspected exploitation involving the unauthorized use of the resident's credit card by a nurse aide, the aide was suspended and later terminated. Documentation showed that the aide admitted to using the resident's credit card for personal purchases, resulting in significant unauthorized charges. Despite the incident, there was no evidence in the clinical record or facility documentation that the resident received follow-up support or medically-related social services, such as counseling or psychiatric services, related to the emotional impact of the misappropriation. Interviews with facility staff, including the social worker and APRN, confirmed that no support visits or referrals were provided or documented. The facility's policy required documentation of follow-up care in such cases, but no such documentation was found, and staff could not explain why support services were not provided.