Resident Pushed by Staff Member Resulting in Fall and Injury
Penalty
Summary
A resident with severe dementia, agitation, mild cognitive impairment, and muscle weakness was involved in a physical altercation with a staff member, resulting in a fall. The resident had a BIMS score indicating severely impaired cognition and was known to wander, with care plan interventions directing staff to offer assistance and redirect the resident as needed. On the day of the incident, the resident was attempting to exit the memory care unit and became agitated, striking a nurse aide who was trying to enter the unit. In response, the nurse aide pushed the resident, causing the resident to fall and hit their head against the wall. Multiple staff members witnessed the event, and their accounts confirmed that the nurse aide used physical force after being struck by the resident. The incident was initially reported as a fall, with documentation indicating the resident lost balance after striking the staff member. However, subsequent interviews and review of camera footage revealed that the staff member had pushed the resident, which directly led to the fall and injury. The facility's abuse policy prohibits physical abuse and the use of corporal punishment, stating that residents must not be subjected to abuse by anyone, including staff. Despite this policy, the staff member's actions constituted physical abuse, as confirmed by witness statements and video evidence. The incident was not immediately reported as abuse, and the true nature of the event only came to light several days later upon review of surveillance footage.