Failure to Verify Agency Staff Competency and Provide Fall Prevention Training
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to ensure that a resident received care from staff with documented competency and training, particularly in fall prevention and resident-specific safety needs. An agency CNA was assigned to provide ADL care to an alert and oriented, predominantly Polish‑speaking resident with multiple diagnoses including type II diabetes, right humerus fracture history, COPD, atrial fibrillation, hypertension, anxiety disorder, and a history of falls. During incontinence care, the CNA positioned the resident on her side with one hand on the resident’s rib/shoulder area and the other hand cleaning a large bowel movement. The resident then reached toward the bedside table or an item on it, rolled out of the bed, and fell to the floor. The CNA reported there were no bed rails, that she did not understand the resident due to the language barrier, that it was her first time caring for the resident, and that no one had given her any information about the resident’s care needs or fall risk status. Following the fall, the resident complained of right shoulder pain and had a laceration above the right eye, was sent to the ED, and returned with a diagnosed right humerus fracture and a laceration treated with Steri‑strips. Record review showed that the facility’s orientation documentation for the agency CNA consisted of a form listing over two dozen training topics, including fall prevention and safety protocols, all marked only with a single continuous vertical strike‑through line and the CNA’s signature, without instructor initials, dates of completion, or evidence of observed competency by facility leadership. The CNA stated she did not recall receiving fall prevention training. An agency LPN caring for the same resident reported receiving no in‑service training from the facility, only from the agency, and incorrectly stated that the resident was not a fall risk despite being aware of a prior fall. When the surveyor requested a fall prevention policy, the administrator provided only a Fall Occurrence policy that addressed assessment and interventions after falls and confirmed there was no separate fall prevention policy. Review of the facility’s education modules showed staff were trained only on the fall occurrence policy, not on a proactive fall prevention framework. As a result, the agency CNA was assigned to a high‑risk resident without verified competency in the facility’s safety standards or resident‑specific fall prevention needs.
Penalty
Resources
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A CNA did not receive the required annual in-service training of at least 12 hours. Record review showed the CNA signed for several in-services, including fall prevention, choking prevention, abuse recognition/reporting, oral care, infection precautions, oral hygiene, emergency response procedures, and safe repositioning techniques, but the DSD stated the CNA did not meet the minimum required in-services.
The facility failed to ensure that two of three sampled nurse aides received the required minimum of 12 hours of annual in-service education. Review of policy and personnel files showed the aides did not have documentation of the required training in their records, and HR confirmed the deficiency.
Failure to document required annual nurse aide education. The facility reviewed employee education records and found no evidence that three of five nurse aides completed the required 12 hours of annual training. The facility assessment stated that personnel would receive annual education credits, but the records for the three nurse aides did not show completion of the required training, and the NHA confirmed the missing documentation.
Missing Annual Nurse Aide Training Documentation: Documentation review of 5 of 5 GNA personnel files found no evidence that the required 12-hour annual competency training had been completed within the past 12 months for four GNAs, and one GNA only had proof of training from the prior year with no later record. The HR Mgr stated the facility had no documentation in the files or computer showing when the last training occurred, and the NHA said he could not find the records in the previous DON's office.
The facility failed to ensure that one nurse aide completed the required 12 hours of annual in-service training. Records showed the aide was hired in 2023 and completed only 6 hours and 25 minutes of in-service education during the reviewed annual period, and the NHA confirmed the findings.
The facility failed to ensure that three nurse aides received the required 12 hours of annual in-service education. The NHA stated that no education records could be found for the three nurse aides for the calendar year and confirmed the training requirement was not met.
CNA Did Not Receive Required Annual In-Service Training
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that 1 of 5 sampled CNAs, CNA 5, received the required in-service training of no less than 12 hours per year. During review of the facility’s required in-services log book with the DSD on May 21, 2026, CNA 5 was documented as having signed for eight in-services, including fall prevention, choking prevention, abuse recognition/intervention/reporting, oral care, standard/enhanced/droplet/airborne precautions, importance of oral hygiene, emergency response procedures, and safe repositioning techniques. Some entries listed no time, and the DSD stated during interview that CNA 5 did not meet the minimum required in-services.
Failure to Provide Required Annual Nurse Aide In-Service Training
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that two of three sampled Nurse Aides received a minimum of 12 hours of yearly in-service education. Review of the facility's Continuing Education policy and Training Requirements-Required In-service Training for Nurse Aides policy showed that compliance with training requirements was a condition of employment and that nurse aide in-service training was to be sufficient to ensure continuing competence and no less than 12 hours per year. Review of the personnel records for NA Employee E2 and NA Employee E3 showed hire dates of 3/12/24 and 4/5/24, respectively, and their files did not contain documentation showing they had received the required minimum 12 hours of in-service training during their respective yearly periods. During an interview, Human Resource Employee E9 confirmed that the facility failed to ensure these two nurse aides received the required yearly in-service education.
Failure to Document Required Annual Nurse Aide Education
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that nurse aides completed the required annual education for three of five nurse aides reviewed, identified as Nurse Aides 4, 6, and 7. The facility assessment dated January 2026 stated that all personnel, including manager, staff, contract staff, and volunteers, would receive their necessary education credits annually. However, review of the employee education files showed no documented evidence that Nurse Aide 4 completed the required 12 hours of education between 2024 and 2025, no documented evidence that Nurse Aide 6 completed the required 12 hours of education between 2024 and 2025, and no documented evidence that Nurse Aide 7 completed the required 12 hours of education between 2024 and 2025. During an interview, the Nursing Home Administrator confirmed that there was no documented evidence that Nurse Aides 4, 6, and 7 completed the 12 hours of annual training as required.
Missing Annual Nurse Aide Training Documentation
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure nurse aide competency training occurred no less than 12 hours per year as determined in nurse aides' performance reviews. During a complaint survey, documentation review of 5 of 5 Geriatric Nursing Assistant personnel files showed no evidence that the required annual 12-hour training had been completed within the past 12 months for GNA #25, GNA #26, GNA #27, and GNA #29. GNA #28's file contained documentation that the 12-hour yearly training was completed on 5/20/24, but there was no documentation that the training had been completed again since 2024. During the review on 5/15/26, the Human Resources Manager stated there was no documentation in the personnel files or computer showing when the last 12-hour training occurred and said there could be documentation in the previous DON's office, but was not sure. The Nursing Home Administrator later stated he could not find documentation in the previous DON's office related to any 12-hour training for the GNAs.
Nurse Aide In-Service Training Deficiency
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that each nurse aide received 12 hours of annual in-service training for one of three nurse aides reviewed, Employee 1. Review of Employee 1’s personnel record showed that she was hired on April 17, 2023. Review of the training records provided by the facility for Employee 1 for the period from April 2025 to April 2026 showed that she completed only six hours and 25 minutes of in-service education. The Nursing Home Administrator confirmed these findings during interview on May 14, 2026, at 12:04 PM.
Failure to Provide Required Annual Nurse Aide In-Service Education
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that all nurse aide staff received a minimum of 12 hours of in-service education training each year for three of three Nurse Aide employees, identified as E13, E14, and E15. During an interview, the Nursing Home Administrator stated that education is tracked by calendar year from January through December and that State Agency requested employee education records for these nurse aides. In a later interview, the NHA stated that the facility was unable to find any education records for E13, E14, and E15 for the year 2025 and confirmed that the facility failed to provide the required 12 hours of annual in-service education for these three nurse aides.
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