Failure to Treat Resident with Dignity and Respect During Care
Penalty
Summary
A resident with diagnoses including anxiety, depression, and heart failure, who was cognitively intact and required substantial assistance with activities of daily living, reported being treated disrespectfully by two nursing assistants during care. The resident stated that the staff were rude and, when requesting their phone, one staff member responded with explicit language indicating disregard for the resident's request. The incident was corroborated by the resident's roommate, who overheard the verbal exchange and confirmed the use of inappropriate language by the staff. Documentation also showed that the resident expressed fear for their safety at the facility, stating they felt threatened by the staff involved. Further review revealed that one of the staff members admitted to telling the resident they did not care about the phone and suggested the resident look for it themselves. The staff member received a verbal notice for violating employee conduct rules, including disrespectful conduct. During interviews, the resident expressed ongoing fear and anxiety related to the night shift staff, specifically those involved in the incident. Facility leadership, including the Director of Social Work and the Administrator, were unable to provide evidence that the staff treated the resident with dignity and respect.