Failure to Promote Resident Dignity and Respect
Penalty
Summary
Staff interviews and resident accounts revealed that two residents with intact cognition were not treated with dignity and respect by a registered nurse (RN) identified as Staff C. For one resident, staff reported that Staff C would yell at him, belittle him by calling him dumb, and state that she would not feel sorry for him if he fell and broke his hip. Staff also described Staff C as engaging in screaming matches with the resident, agitating him with her questions, and using wet floor signs to prevent him from standing at the nurses' station. On one occasion, Staff C reportedly tied a memory blanket to the resident's wheelchair pedals to prevent him from standing, which physically restricted his movement. Another resident reported that Staff C would keep him from returning to his room due to his attempts to use the bathroom independently and threatened to move his bed into the hallway as a form of reprimand. Staff corroborated that Staff C made such statements and described her as loud and smart-alecky, frequently yelling at the resident. The facility's policy requires that residents be treated with dignity and respect at all times, and prohibits demeaning practices, but the actions described by staff and residents indicate that these standards were not upheld for the two residents involved.