Failure to Ensure CNA Competency in Immediate BLS Response
Penalty
Summary
A Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) failed to demonstrate the necessary competencies and skills to provide immediate Basic Life Support (BLS) to a resident who was found unresponsive in bed. The resident, who had a history of hypertension and heart failure and was designated as full code status, was discovered by the CNA during routine care. Instead of assessing the resident for breathing and pulse or initiating CPR as trained, the CNA left the resident to notify a Registered Nurse (RN). The CNA did not check for vital signs or begin resuscitation efforts, despite having received BLS training two months prior, and was unable to verbalize the correct process for initiating CPR during an interview. Upon notification, the RN immediately assessed the resident, found them unresponsive, not breathing, and pulseless, and began CPR while instructing another staff member to call 911. Facility policy required all staff trained in BLS to initiate CPR immediately upon finding an unresponsive individual, following American Heart Association guidelines. The failure of the CNA to act according to training and facility policy resulted in a delay in the initiation of life-saving measures for the resident.