Opinion ID: 1918218
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: whether the chancery court's affirmance of the adverse findings against avery was arbitrary and capricious or alternatively lacked substantial evidence.

Text: ¶ 31. Avery contends that the chancery court's affirmance of adverse findings against her was arbitrary and capricious or, alternatively, lacked substantial evidence because the uncontradicted facts show she reasonably and justifiably relied upon Molden to report the changes in Gibson's skin condition. The Department contends that the adverse findings made against Avery were not arbitrary and capricious and supported by substantial evidence. ¶ 32. In the case sub judice, the facts are uncontradicted that Gibson was the patient of Molden and was her primary responsibility. The testimony reveals that April Avery assisted Molden in transporting Gibson from her room to the whirlpool room in order for Molden to administer to Gibson a whirlpool bath. After assisting Molden with transporting Gibson to the whirlpool room, Avery departed from the room. Molden then proceeded to administer the whirlpool bath to Gibson. Avery returned to the whirlpool room after Molden finished administering the whirlpool bath to Gibson to assist in transporting Gibson back to her room. Avery first noticed that Gibson's toe was bleeding and informed Molden of this condition. Then, Molden and Avery noticed that the skin of Gibson's legs was beginning to peel. Avery stated to Molden that she should report this to the treatment nurse, and Molden stated that she would report the change in Gibson's condition. Molden and Avery returned Gibson to her room, but neither Molden nor Avery reported the change in Gibson's condition to the treatment nurse. Rather, Molden reported to Cynthia Harrison that Gibson was ready for her dressings. Thus, the only contact that Avery had with Gibson was during the time that she assisted Molden in transporting her to the whirlpool room and back to her room. ¶ 33. Avery asserts that the adverse findings made against her are arbitrary and capricious because she reasonably and justifiably relied upon Molden to report the changes in Gibson's skin condition. The hearing officer, however, with regard to the actions of Avery, stated: I find that the conduct of Avery is likewise inexcusable. She assisted Molden in removing the resident from the whirlpool, thus knowing that Molden had been the one who gave the resident the bath. When the dramatic skin changes started appearing, she in fact called Molden's attention to the fact. Molden stated that she [Molden] would report the incident. But Avery knew that Molden had given the whirlpool treatment to the resident. Avery saw Molden's reaction. Avery knew or should have known that Molden, being the one who caused the injury, might not report the incident, and should have done so herself; I specifically find that the conduct of Avery and Molden is the exact, specific type of egregious conduct which the Mississippi Legislature and the Congress intended to address and deter when they enacted the Vulnerable Adults Act and the Certified Nurse Aide Program. At best the conduct can be characterized as reckless, at worst, as callous disregard for the resident's safety and well-being. Then, on appeal to the chancery court, the chancellor entered his order affirming the hearing officer's decision and stated: The Appellants have requested the Court to reverse the decision of the Board because there was no substantial evidence presented to place Avery on the Nurse Aide Abuse Roster. The Court finds from the testimony that Avery, as a Nurse Aide, was under certain duties, and responsibilities which included, but was not limited to reporting to a Charge Nurse any change in the condition of a patient observed by her. It is clear from the record, including the testimony of Avery, that she did, in fact, see changes in the condition of Gibson, at the conclusion of the whirlpool bath, and did not, in fact, report the same to a nurse in charge or to anyone. The Court considers the above rule to be very important and necessary in caring for the needs of patients in long-term facilities. The patients involved in long-term facilities are mostly elderly individuals, and cannot care for themselves, and rely on the Nurse Aides to administer to their needs. It is clear from the job description of Avery that she was required to report her observations of Gibson to a nurse in charge, and not relegate that responsibility to Molden. Molden was not a nurse in charge, but was a Nurse Aide, as was Avery. ¶ 34. This Court has held that [t]he decision of an administrative agency is not to be disturbed unless the agency order was unsupported by substantial evidence; was arbitrary and capricious; was beyond the agency's scope or powers; or violated the constitutional or statutory rights of the aggrieved party. Board of Law Enforcement Officers Standards & Training v. Butler, 672 So.2d 1196, 1199 (Miss.1996) (citing Sprouse v. Mississippi Employment Sec. Comm'n, 639 So.2d 901, 902 (Miss.1994); Mississippi Comm'n on Envtl. Quality v. Chickasaw County Bd. of Supervisors, 621 So.2d 1211, 1215 (Miss.1993); Melody Manor Convalescent Ctr. v. Mississippi State Dep't. of Health, 546 So.2d 972, 974 (Miss. 1989)). This Court has discussed the meaning of the terms arbitrary and capricious as follows: The terms arbitrary and capricious are open-textured and not susceptible of precise definition or mechanical application.... Arbitrary means fixed or done capriciously or at pleasure. An act is arbitrary when it is done without adequately determining principle; not done according to reason or judgment, but depending upon the will alone,absolute in power, tyrannical, despotic, non-rational,implying either a lack of understanding of or a disregard for the fundamental nature of things. Capricious means freakish, fickle, or arbitrary. An act is capricious when it is done without reason, in a whimsical manner, implying either a lack of understanding of or a disregard for the surrounding facts and settled controlling principles.... Mississippi State Dep't. of Health v. Southwest Mississippi Reg'l Med. Ctr., 580 So.2d 1238, 1240 (Miss.1991) (quoting In re Hous. Auth. of City of Salisbury, 235 N.C. 463, 70 S.E.2d 500, 503 (1952)). Included within Avery's job description was a duty to [r]eport any changes observed in the patients condition to the charge nurse. Avery observed changes in Gibson's condition, reported her observations to Molden, and informed Molden that she should report to the charge nurse the change in Gibson's condition, but Avery did not actually report herself the changes in Gibson's condition to the charge nurse. We find that Avery was not reasonably justified in relying on Molden to report Gibson's changes in condition where Avery was fully aware that Molden was administering the whirlpool bath to Gibson and was primarily responsible for the changes in Gibson's condition. Thus, we find that Avery's failure to report the changes in Gibson's condition resulted in the neglect of Gibson. Therefore, we hold that the agency's decision to permanently revoke the certification of April Avery, remove her name from the Certified Nurse Aide Roster, and to permanently place her name on the State Nurse Aide Abuse Roster was not arbitrary and capricious.