Failure to Prevent Staff-to-Resident Physical Abuse
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a certified nursing assistant (CNA) physically struck a resident during an incident. The resident, who had diagnoses including Paranoid Schizophrenia, Encephalopathy, Anxiety Disorder, and Depressive Disorder, and was assessed as having impaired cognition, was observed with a purplish bruise under their left eye. The CNA reported that while working the midnight shift, the resident came out of their room swinging and punching, and in response, the CNA hit the resident in the face as a reflexive action. The CNA acknowledged having received training on abuse prevention and managing aggressive resident behaviors but admitted to not implementing this training during the incident. The Director of Nursing confirmed awareness of the incident and stated the expectation that residents are to be free from abuse and neglect by staff. The facility's policy prohibits all forms of abuse and mandates protection of residents from harm. The incident was reported to the state agency as an allegation of staff-to-resident abuse, and the deficiency was identified based on observation, interviews, and record review.