HospitalInspections.org

Based on review of documents and staff intrview the hospital's administrative staff failed to perform dependent adult abuse background checks on 2 of 2 registered nurse (RN A and RN B) employed by an outside agency and currently providing care for the hospital's patients. Faillure to perform a dependent adult abuse background check on staff may result in hospital staff failing to identify a potential staff member with a history of dependent adult abuse and resulting in potential abuse of a patient. The hospital staff identified 24 current inpatients at the start of the survey.

Findings include:

1. Review of RN A's (a nurse employed under a contract with an outside agency) personnell file on 11/15/18 revealed the outside employment agency failed to check if RN A had a conviction for dependent adult abuse prior to starting employment at the hospital on 10/29/2018.

2. During an interview on 11/15/18 at 1:45 PM, the Human Resource Director verified the outside employment agency failed to verify if RN A had a conviction for dependent adult abuse prior to RN A starting to work at the hospial. The Human Resource Director revealed that RN B was employed through an employment contract with the same agency as RN A. The outside employment agency failed to check if RN B had a conviction for dependent adult abuse prior to RN B starting to work at the hospital.

3. During an interview on 11/15/2018 at 2:45 PM, the Chief Executive Officer revealed the hospital lacked a policy that required the human resources staff to verify if prospective employees from outside employment agencies had a history of dependent adult abuse prior to starting employment with the hospital.

Based on document review and staff interviews, the hospital's administrative staff failed to ensure all patients received the required information that informed patients of their right to be free from corporal punishment. Failure to inform all patients of their rights to be free of corporal punishment could potentially result in the patient not understanding their right to be free from corporal punishment, and failing to object if staff subjected them to corporal punishment. The hospital's administrative staff identified 24 inpatients at the start of the survey.

Findings include:

1. Review of the policy "Patient Rights," revised 7/1/2017, revealed in part, "Purpose: [t]o ensure that each patient/family admitted to Hospital (sic) is aware of their guaranteed rights and their responsibilities." The policy directed staff to attach a copy of the form which patients sign upon admission to acknowledge receipt of their patient's rights.

2. Review of the document "Patient's Rights," revised 5/2013, revealed the document lacked information informing patients they had the right to be free from corporal punishment (punishment by staff hitting the patient).

3. Review of the document "Patient Rights," undated and posted on the hospital's wall, laced information informing patients they had the right to be free from corporal punishment.

4. During an interview on 11/15/18 at 1:00 PM, the Chief Nursing Officer revealed the hospital staff had patients sign the form "Patient's Rights" upon admission. The Chief Nursing Officer acknowledged that patients would not receive information from the staff that patients had the right to be free from corporal punishment.