A 35-year-old licensed practical nurse (LPN) was recently arrested and charged with stealing the identity of an elderly resident in a North Carolina nursing home where she was employed. The accused nurse used the man’s identity to secure loans of $11,500 from the Navy Federal Credit Union and set up two bank credit card accounts that she used to get cash and make purchases of over $18,000.
The nurse faces five felony counts of identity theft and one count of obtaining property by false pretense. She was released on a $20,000 bond.
Area police are investigating whether any other residents in the nursing home were victimized by the nurse.
Compliance Perspective
Issue: Failure to protect residents’ identities from theft by staff members who then use the stolen information to secure loans and to obtain bank credit cards may be considered a breach of residents’ rights to be free from misappropriation and/or exploitation and considered provision of substandard quality of care, in violation of state and federal regulations.
Discussion Points:
- Review policies and procedures to ensure that they are effective in preventing employees from the exploitation or misappropriation of residents’ personal finances through stealing of their identities.
- Train staff about abuse, neglect, misappropriation, and exploitation and the importance of reporting any incidents of suspected resident identity or personal property theft to their supervisor or through the facility’s Hotline.
- Periodically audit by talking with residents who are able to communicate to determine if identity thefts may have occurred. Also, periodically encourage residents and family members through the Resident and Family Councils to monitor for unauthorized use of credit cards or personal information that may indicate evidence of loans and credit card charges obtained by theft of residents’ identities.
