QAPI Perspective
Policy/Procedure: Policies and procedures need to be up-to-date and meet current guidelines, including resident rights and responding to negative behaviors.
Implementation: Educate the staff on being aware of the resident’s willingness to participate in care, and appropriate responses to negative behaviors. Resident care staff should communicate all issues to the supervisor and management.
Audit: Periodically perform internal and external audits, including care plans and MARs to ensure all negative behaviors are documented with appropriate responses.
A woman, 57 (Employee 1), at a Baton Rouge nursing home was arrested after an allegation that she scratched a resident’s chest as a form of retaliation, according to Baton Rouge police. A witness to the incident told police that she (Employee 2) and Employee 1 were caring for the resident when the resident scratched Employee 1, who then responded, saying, “Let me show you how it feels.” Employee 1 then scratched the resident. An administrator said vertical scratches were visible on the resident’s chest.
Employee 1 resigned after an investigation into the incident started,an administrator told police. When questioned by investigators, Employee 1 said the resident was often combative and violent. Employee 1 told police she restrained the resident’s hand on her chest and that the resident’s scratch was self-inflicted. She added that she told a nurse her version of the story after the scratch happened, but Employee 2 had already reported the incident. Employee 1 was booked on counts of cruelty to persons with infirmities and simple battery of persons with infirmities.
