A 25-year-old woman working as a med-tech in multiple long-term care facilities over a five- to six-year period was recently arrested for allegedly stealing money, jewelry, and drugs from residents in the assisted living facility where she was employed. Shortly after her arrest, the woman confessed and signed a notarized affidavit admitting to crimes committed at the eight facilities where she had been employed.
She has been officially charged with 55 counts of first-degree criminal mistreatment, 44 counts of tampering with drug records, five counts of second-degree theft, and six counts of third-degree theft.
The investigation that led to the med-tech’s arrest was started on September 10, 2019, when the son of a resident in the assisted living facility reported that someone had stolen cash from his father. Shortly after police first interviewed the accused, she surrendered about 275 pieces of jewelry that she confessed to having stolen from residents in the eight facilities she had worked in over the past five or six years.
After her admission of guilt, the woman issued this statement to police: “I am very apologetic for any harm I have done and/or any sadness I have caused. It is my intent to correct my wrongs and do the right thing by taking responsibility for my actions. I hope someday that all the families and persons I have harmed can find it within themselves to forgive me, because I know what I have done is wrong, and I am seeking the help I need to recover and become a better person.”
Compliance Perspective
Issue
Failure to protect residents’ money, personal possessions, and/or prescribed medications from diversion by staff may be considered provision of substandard quality of care, in violation of state and federal regulations.
Discussion Points
- Review protocols for investigating complaints about missing cash or personal items, and reconciliation of controlled medication logs.
- Train staff regarding abuse, neglect, misappropriation, and exploitation. Explain the importance of investigating all complaints about missing items, unrelieved pain, and the need to report any reasonable suspicion of a crime to their supervisor or through the facility’s Hotline.
- Periodically audit to ensure that investigations into complaints are fully completed. Examine controlled medication logs and compare to medication administration records to discover possible drug tampering or misappropriation.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS TOPIC view: DRUG DIVERSION – WHAT EVERY NURSING FACILITY NEEDS TO KNOW.
