F0600

J

Resident Neglect During Unsafe Wheelchair Van Transport

Wisner, Louisiana Survey Completed on 03-18-2026

Penalty

Fine: $19,120

Summary

The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to protect a resident from neglect during transportation in the facility van. A CNA responsible for transport did not follow the facility’s transportation safety policies and procedures, including the requirement to properly secure residents with restraining seatbelts. The resident involved had multiple medical diagnoses, including hemiplegia and hemiparesis following cerebral infarction, chronic systolic heart failure, type 2 diabetes with autonomic neuropathy, chronic pain due to trauma, cervical spinal stenosis, and COPD. The resident was cognitively intact with a BIMS score of 15 and was dependent on a wheelchair for mobility and staff assistance for transfers using a lift.

During a return trip from a physician appointment, the CNA failed to attach the van’s restraining lap belt across the resident’s lap. While en route, the resident told the CNA that she felt like she was sliding down in her wheelchair. Despite this verbal report, the CNA did not stop the van to reposition the resident or correct the lack of restraint. Instead, the CNA continued driving until reaching her personal residence. The CNA then went inside her residence, leaving the resident unattended in the van and still not properly secured or repositioned.

While the CNA was inside her personal residence, the resident slid out of her wheelchair onto the floor of the transportation van. When the CNA returned to the van, she found the resident on the floor but did not call the facility for assistance and did not transfer the resident back into the wheelchair. The CNA then drove approximately 15.3 miles back to the facility with the resident remaining on the floor of the van. Upon arrival, the CNA did not inform facility staff when the fall had occurred or how long the resident had been on the floor. The resident was later assessed with no injuries, and the facility’s investigation substantiated neglect based on these events and the CNA’s failure to follow established policies on abuse, neglect, fall management, and transportation safety.

The facility’s policies in place at the time defined neglect as the failure of the facility, its employees, or service providers to provide goods and services necessary to avoid physical harm, pain, mental anguish, or emotional distress. The transportation policy required adequate training of personnel transporting residents, including safe wheelchair transportation, proper use of restraints, and procedures for what to do if someone falls. The CNA had completed annual abuse and neglect training and had acknowledged the transportation training checklist and passenger assistive techniques, which included always using seat belts and ensuring passenger restraints fit securely. Despite this training and policy framework, the CNA did not secure the resident with the lap belt, did not respond appropriately when the resident reported sliding, left the resident unattended in the van, failed to seek assistance after the fall, and transported the resident back to the facility while she remained on the floor of the van. These actions and inactions led to the substantiated neglect and the Immediate Jeopardy determination.