Failure to Timely Address and Document Resident Grievance Regarding Missing Property
Penalty
Summary
A cognitively intact resident reported a missing black long sleeve shirt, alleging it was stolen by a staff member while the resident's back was turned. The resident immediately reported the incident to the nurse manager, but the initial progress notes did not document the missing item until a late entry was made several days later. The facility's missing item tracker did record the missing item, but the grievance was not entered into the facility's official grievance complaint log. Following the report, the nurse manager and assistant director of nursing interviewed both the resident and the accused staff member, reviewed security camera footage, and filed a report with the Minnesota Department of Health. However, there was no documented follow-up with the resident regarding the outcome of the investigation, and the missing item tracker only contained demographic information without investigation results. The resident stated that the nurse manager did not return to discuss the results or clarify whether the investigation was ongoing, and the resident was not offered the opportunity to file a property loss or Tort claim for reimbursement. Interviews with facility staff confirmed that the required property damage/loss form was not completed for the resident, and no follow-up progress notes documented further investigation or communication with the resident after the initial entries. The facility's policy required that a claim report and demand form be provided upon request when a claimant suffered property loss, but there was no evidence this was offered or completed for the resident in question.