Failure to Timely Report Alleged Abuse
Penalty
Summary
Facility staff failed to report an allegation of abuse involving a resident who was found with a red mark on their forehead. A family member discovered the mark and brought it to the attention of staff, but was told it was not reportable. Photographic evidence confirmed the presence of the mark. Multiple staff members, including a unit manager and an LPN, were aware of the mark and discussed it internally, with the LPN asking the resident abuse-related questions and the GNA reporting the concern to the DON. Despite these actions, the incident was not reported to the appropriate authorities as required. The DON assumed the mark was caused by a TV remote, although no one witnessed this. The administrator later acknowledged that the family member had alleged someone hit the resident and confirmed the incident was reportable, but it had not been reported until after surveyor intervention. The failure to report the suspected abuse in a timely manner constituted a deficiency in the facility's abuse reporting procedures.