A nurse working in a New York hospital was recently arrested and charged with grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, and petty larceny after stealing the American Express Card belonging to a 70-year old man suffering from COVID-19. The nurse used the card to purchase gas and groceries amounting to $60.23. The man died three days later on April 12.
The victim’s daughter noticed the charges and reported the theft to the police on April 28.
The nurse has been suspended from the hospital where she had worked since 2007.
Compliance Perspective
Failure to protect patients/residents who are isolated due to being ill with COVID-19 from theft of their personal possessions may be considered abuse, neglect, misappropriation, and exploitation, and may be deemed provision of substandard quality of care, in violation of state and federal regulations. Staff committing similar acts are not protected by the governor’s executive orders giving immunity to care givers during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Discussion Points:
- Review policies and procedures regarding the securing of personal property belonging to patients/residents and any COVID-19 caregiving immunity exceptions.
- Train staff regarding the criminal aspects of misappropriating personal property of patients/residents and the importance of reporting any suspected criminal incident to their supervisor or through the Hotline.
- Periodically audit to determine if the personal possessions belonging to COVID-19 patients/residents have been made secure from potential misappropriation.
