F0947 F947: Ensure nurse aides have the skills they need to care for residents, and give nurse aides education in dementia care and abuse prevention.
F

Deficiency in Dementia Training for Facility Staff

Norwalk Skilled Nursing & Wellness Centre, LlcNorwalk, California Survey Completed on 07-26-2024

Summary

The facility failed to ensure that all staff received the required five hours of annual dementia training, which is crucial for providing comprehensive care to residents with dementia. During an interview and record review, the Director of Staff Development (DSD) confirmed that staff were supposed to receive two hours of dementia training upon hire and six hours annually. However, the facility's policy, revised in October 2017, stated that staff should complete two hours of dementia-specific training within the first 40 hours of employment and a minimum of five hours annually, excluding the initial two hours. This discrepancy in training hours was identified during a survey, indicating that the facility did not adhere to its policy, potentially leading to neglect or inadequate care for residents with dementia. The Director of Nursing (DON) emphasized the importance of dementia training to prevent nurse burnout and to educate staff on caring for residents at risk of being started on unnecessary medications. The lack of adherence to the training policy was documented, with attendance at in-service training required to be maintained in each employee's personal file. This failure to provide adequate training had the potential to result in residents with dementia being neglected and not receiving resident-centered, comprehensive care.

Penalty

Inspection fine: $63,990
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The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.

Resources

Below are regulatory guidelines relevant to this citation:

See other F0947 citations
Failure to Ensure Required Annual CNA In‑Service Training Hours
D
F0947 F947: Ensure nurse aides have the skills they need to care for residents, and give nurse aides education in dementia care and abuse prevention.
Short Summary

The facility did not ensure that CNAs received the required minimum of 12 hours of annual in‑service training. A review of three CNAs’ education records showed that one CNA had completed only 10.47 hours of training for the current annual period. The DON confirmed that this CNA had been skipping course content and going directly to the test, resulting in incomplete training hours. This deficiency had the potential to affect all residents receiving care from CNAs, as inadequate training places residents at risk for harm due to staff not being fully prepared to safely provide required services.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Provide Required Annual Competency Training for CNAs
F
F0947 F947: Ensure nurse aides have the skills they need to care for residents, and give nurse aides education in dementia care and abuse prevention.
Short Summary

The facility did not ensure that all CNAs received the required 12 hours of annual competency in‑service training, including dementia care and abuse prevention. Review of records for two agency CNAs showed no documented annual CNA training, despite a facility assessment stating that nurse aide in‑services must total at least 12 hours per year and address competency needs. One agency CNA reported not receiving any annual competency training or knowing it was required, and another reported receiving no training in the past year while providing care to all residents. The AIT and DON confirmed that these CNAs had not received the required annual training from either the facility or their agency.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Provide Required Annual In-Service Training for CNA
D
F0947 F947: Ensure nurse aides have the skills they need to care for residents, and give nurse aides education in dementia care and abuse prevention.
Short Summary

Surveyors found that a CNA’s personnel file lacked documentation of the required 12 hours of annual in-service education, including dementia care and abuse prevention. The CNA had been employed for over a year, and facility leadership confirmed there was no evidence that the mandated annual training had been completed.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Provide Required Annual In-Service Training for CNAs
D
F0947 F947: Ensure nurse aides have the skills they need to care for residents, and give nurse aides education in dementia care and abuse prevention.
Short Summary

The facility did not ensure that CNAs received the required minimum of 12 hours of annual in-service education, including dementia care and abuse prevention. Surveyors found, through staff interviews and record review, that two CNAs hired more than a year earlier had not completed at least 12 hours of in-service training during their most recent anniversary year. The NHA confirmed that these CNAs had not met the annual training requirement and acknowledged that CNAs are expected to receive at least 12 hours of in-service education each year.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Missing Dementia and Abuse Prevention Training
E
F0947 F947: Ensure nurse aides have the skills they need to care for residents, and give nurse aides education in dementia care and abuse prevention.
Short Summary

The facility failed to provide required in-service training on dementia management and resident abuse prevention for five sampled staff members, including an RN, an LPN, and three NAs. It also failed to document that three sampled NAs received the required 12 hours of annual in-service education. The NHA confirmed the missing training and documentation during interview.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Provide Required Annual In‑Service Training for Nurse Aides
D
F0947 F947: Ensure nurse aides have the skills they need to care for residents, and give nurse aides education in dementia care and abuse prevention.
Short Summary

The facility did not ensure that two nurse aides completed the required 12 hours of annual in‑service education, including dementia management, abuse prevention, and training to address performance weaknesses. One aide had only a brief in‑service on infection control and respirator use, while another had less than four hours of training focused on safe resident handling, mechanical lift use, elopement prevention, and ethics. The DON and the NHA confirmed that the required annual in‑service training had not been completed, resulting in noncompliance with state personnel and staff development regulations.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
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