The Maryland Attorney General announced the sentencing of a Geriatric Nursing Assistant (GNA) for theft involving a debit card stolen from a resident at a Baltimore nursing home. The GNA, who had previously pleaded guilty to theft charges ranging between $1,500 and $25,000, was sentenced on September 12, 2024.
In April 2022, while employed at the nursing home and other facilities, the GNA stole a resident’s debit card. She used it to make unauthorized purchases totaling $2,586.13 from online retailers. Additionally, she charged rideshares to the debit card for transportation to her nursing shifts and had DoorDash deliveries sent to her work sites.
The court sentenced the GNA to five years in jail, with all but ninety days suspended. She will serve five years of supervised probation, during which she is barred from providing care to the elderly and vulnerable adults. The GNA is also required to complete 100 hours of community service.
Compliance Perspective
Issue
Nursing facilities have a duty to protect residents from the misappropriation of their funds and personal property. Upon admission, each resident’s belongings, including credit cards, debit cards, and cash, should be inventoried. Residents and their families should be reminded to notify nursing staff of any new items so they can be logged as part of the resident’s personal property. To minimize risk, residents should be discouraged from keeping large amounts of cash or multiple credit/debit cards in their possession. Facilities should offer lockboxes for securing valuables.
Discussion Points
- Review policies and procedures related to safeguarding residents’ financial property, including cash, debit and credit cards, and valuable items like jewelry. Also review your policies and procedures on preventing, identifying, and reporting misappropriation of resident’s belongings or funds to ensure that they meet all requirements of federal and state regulations.
- Provide training on CMS regulations concerning residents’ rights to be free from abuse, neglect, exploitation, and misappropriation of personal property. Educate staff on their responsibilities to prevent these issues and the potential personal liability for violations. Additionally, inform residents and their families about monitoring bank and credit card balances and reporting concerns promptly to facility administration or through the hotline.
- Periodically audit to verify that residents are provided with personal lockboxes and understand their importance. Investigate any reports of lost or stolen items thoroughly. Periodically audit resident fund accounts to detect potential misappropriations. Interview residents to assess their concerns regarding the safety of their belongings and funds.
*This news alert has been prepared by Med-Net Concepts, LLC for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal advice.*
