Failure to Protect Resident from Verbal Abuse by Staff
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a resident with a history of multiple rib fractures, right tibia fracture, antisocial personality disorder, and seizures was subjected to verbal abuse by a staff member. The resident, who had been at the facility for four months, became agitated and verbally aggressive after a reduction in his pain medication. Multiple staff interviews confirmed that the resident was yelling and cursing at the nursing station, demanding to speak with management. During this episode, an LPN who was not assigned to the resident approached and engaged in a verbal altercation with him. Both the resident and the LPN exchanged profanities and inappropriate remarks, escalating the situation rather than de-escalating it as outlined in the resident's care plan. The care plan for the resident specifically included interventions for managing verbally aggressive behavior, such as analyzing triggers, allowing the resident to express feelings, and staff walking away if the resident became aggressive. However, these interventions were not followed during the incident. Instead, the LPN confronted the resident and participated in the exchange of abusive language. This failure to adhere to the care plan and facility policy resulted in the resident not being protected from verbal abuse by staff.