Resident Subjected to Verbal Abuse and Threats by Housekeeper
Penalty
Summary
A resident with a history of cerebral vascular accident (stroke), who was cognitively intact and able to independently propel himself in a wheelchair, was subjected to verbal abuse by a staff member. The incident occurred when the resident was moving down a crowded hallway and was confronted by a housekeeper who became upset that the resident was blocking her cart. Multiple staff members witnessed the housekeeper cursing at the resident in a threatening tone, using profane and racially charged language, and physically pushing her housekeeping cart into the back of the resident's wheelchair. The housekeeper also yanked the resident's wheelchair and continued to verbally threaten and insult him, escalating the situation and causing the resident to become visibly upset. Witness statements from two nurse aides confirmed the sequence of events, including the housekeeper's repeated use of profanity, threats to physically harm the resident, and physical contact with the resident's wheelchair. The incident was substantiated as verbal abuse by the facility's investigation, with corroborating accounts from staff who intervened to separate the housekeeper from the resident and de-escalate the situation. The resident was taken to his room and calmed down after the incident. The facility's investigation confirmed the occurrence of verbal abuse and threats by the housekeeper toward the resident.