F0600

D

Resident subjected to verbal confrontation and mental abuse by CNA

Bridgeport, Connecticut Survey Completed on 01-07-2026

Penalty

No penalty information released

Summary

The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to protect a resident from verbal and mental abuse by a CNA. The resident was admitted with significant cervical spine injuries, including a nondisplaced C5 fracture, concussion, cervical cord edema, and a C5–C6 disc disorder, and was dependent for personal hygiene but cognitively intact. The admission MDS indicated the resident had no history of verbal behavioral symptoms directed toward others. On the day of the incident, the resident was in bed with a visitor present when a CNA, who was not assigned to the resident, entered the room to confront the resident about allegedly discussing the CNA’s personal business with others. Multiple accounts, including the resident, visitor, and staff statements, consistently describe the CNA speaking loudly, yelling, and engaging in a verbal confrontation in the resident’s room.

According to the visitor’s written statement, the CNA entered the room and began speaking in a loud tone about personal issues, including matters involving peaches, and continued to raise her voice and speak over the resident when the resident attempted to respond. The visitor reported repeatedly asking the CNA to stop and informing her that her behavior was inappropriate, but the CNA continued yelling, including directing negative comments toward the visitor. Another CNA (NA #2) reported entering the room to obtain vital signs and observing the CNA and the resident arguing loudly, with the CNA appearing angry and making a comment about the resident’s child, which led the resident to tell the CNA not to talk about the child and to begin cursing. A third CNA (NA #4) reported finding the CNA in the room speaking to the resident in a loud tone, asking the CNA to leave, and then observing the CNA return and continue arguing loudly with the resident and the visitor. NA #4 described the resident as shocked, frazzled, and crying, and stated that no staff member should speak to a resident in the manner the CNA did.

The resident’s own account to social services and nursing indicated that the CNA entered the room between late morning hours, began yelling about a personal situation involving her spouse and land, and that the resident did not understand why the CNA became so angry. The resident was described as crying and visibly upset, and expressed confusion about being “attacked” while lying in bed. A video recording made by the visitor and later reviewed by nursing leadership and the surveyors showed the CNA leaning over the resident’s bed, speaking in a loud voice, refusing initial attempts by another CNA to remove her from the room, exiting and then re-entering the room, and again approaching the bedside and speaking loudly to the resident. The resident’s speech on the recording was not clearly understandable, but the resident was heard questioning what had been done to cause the situation. Staff interviews and the facility’s own abuse and resident rights policies define abuse to include intimidation, verbal abuse, and mental abuse through loud, angry, or harassing interactions that cause emotional distress. The CNA herself admitted she entered the room to confront the resident about personal matters, spoke loudly in an aggressive manner, argued with the resident and the visitor, and mentioned the resident’s child during the altercation, confirming that the resident was subjected to an intimidating and distressing verbal confrontation by staff in violation of the facility’s abuse and resident rights policies.