Failure to Prevent Misappropriation of Resident's Credit Card by CNA
Penalty
Summary
A facility failed to protect a resident from the misappropriation of her credit card by a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). The resident, who was cognitively intact with a BIMS score of 15, experienced emotional distress and tearfulness after her credit card was stolen and used for unauthorized purchases totaling $1,350.01. The CNA was arrested by local police, and the investigation was supported by evidence including camera footage and messages from the CNA apologizing for the theft. The incident was confirmed by both the police department and facility staff interviews. At the time of the incident, the facility did not have an Administrator in place, and there was no evidence that an internal investigation was conducted by the previous Administrator. Staff, including an LPN, reported being unaware of any investigation or being interviewed about the theft. The facility's abuse policy assigns responsibility for abuse prevention and reporting to the Administrator or designee, but this protocol was not followed in this case, resulting in the resident experiencing psychosocial harm.