Administrator’s Verbal and Mental Abuse of a Resident Over Billing Dispute
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to protect a resident from verbal and mental abuse by the Administrator. Resident B, who had diagnoses including bipolar disorder and PTSD and was documented as cognitively intact on the admission MDS, reported that the Administrator engaged in escalating verbal altercations in the resident’s room while directing staff to pack the resident’s belongings. According to interviews with the Regional Director of Operations (RDO) and Chief Nursing Officer (CNO), video clips recorded on the resident’s phone showed the Administrator speaking in disrespectful, mocking, and intimidating tones, with multiple opportunities to deescalate or walk away that were not taken. A written “Video Evidence Summary” of the recordings documented that the Administrator mocked the resident by pretending to record them, referred to the resident as an “unpaid customer,” and repeatedly stated that the resident could not remain in the facility because their bill was unpaid. The Administrator also referred to the resident as “handicapped,” told the resident they needed to “exit immediately,” and, when the resident asked where they should go, responded “not my problem” and “leave my building,” insisting the resident leave the room before determining next steps. The RDO, CNO, and Regional Nursing Consultant all stated that the Administrator’s statements and tone met the facility’s definition of verbal and mental abuse and violated the facility’s Abuse Prevention and Prohibition policy, which requires that all residents be free from verbal and mental abuse.
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