F0600

G

Verbal Abuse of Resident During Medication Administration

Marion, South Carolina Survey Completed on 01-28-2026

Penalty

No penalty information released

Summary

The facility failed to protect a resident from verbal abuse when an LPN used curse words directed at the resident during a medication pass. Facility policy defined abuse as the willful infliction of injury, intimidation, or punishment causing physical harm, pain, or mental anguish, and specifically included verbal abuse as the use of disparaging or derogatory language toward residents. The resident involved had diagnoses including anxiety, major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, and tremors, and had a BIMS score of 15/15, indicating intact cognition. According to the facility’s investigation, the incident occurred when the nurse brought medications to the resident, who was not ready to take them and requested that the medications be left in the room. The nurse refused to leave the medications, attempted to retrieve the medication cup, and held the resident’s arm while trying to take the cup back.

A CNA who was in the adjoining restroom reported hearing an argument between the nurse and the resident and stated that the nurse was holding the resident’s arm while trying to get the medication cup from the resident’s hand. The CNA reported hearing the word “c***” used a few times, and asked the nurse to leave the resident alone so the resident could calm down. In a separate interview, the resident stated that the nurse began yelling when the resident asked what medications were being given and repeatedly called the resident a “big fat c***” while trying to take the medication cup away. The resident reported feeling scared, particularly when the nurse returned the next day, and expressed not wanting the nurse to care for her again. The Administrator and DON later confirmed that the nurse had used inappropriate language toward the resident, with the DON stating that the nurse admitted to calling the resident a “b****.”