Failure to Timely Report Alleged Abuse Incidents
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure timely reporting of abuse allegations for two residents. In the first instance, a resident reported to a unit manager that a Geriatric Nursing Assistant was rough during care, describing the staff as a white woman with yellow hair who did not allow enough time for the resident to turn and handled the resident roughly. Despite this report, there was no evidence that the incident was communicated to the Director of Nursing (DON), the Administrator, or the Office of Healthcare Quality (OHCQ) within the required timeframe. The DON confirmed she had not been informed of the incident, and no documentation was provided to show that the allegation was reported to OHCQ within two hours as required. In the second instance, an ancillary staff member observed a resident exposing their private area to another resident. The facility administrator was notified of this allegation, but the report to OHCQ was made more than two hours after the administrator was informed. The DON acknowledged the late reporting after reviewing the documentation and confirmed that the report was not made within the mandated timeframe. These failures demonstrate that the facility did not adhere to timely reporting requirements for abuse allegations.