Failure to Timely Report Alleged Abuse to State Agency
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that an allegation of abuse involving a resident was reported immediately to the State Survey Agency as required. A female resident with intact cognition, who was her own responsible party and had multiple medical diagnoses including acute respiratory failure, congestive heart failure, and COPD, reported to the administrator that a male who previously worked at the facility entered her room at approximately 2:00 AM and made a suggestive, vulgar comment. The resident stated that she was not touched and did not feel unsafe, and requested that the incident not be reported to authorities or her family. Despite the facility's policy requiring immediate reporting of all abuse allegations to the appropriate agencies within two hours, the administrator, who also served as the Abuse Coordinator, did not report the incident as he was honoring the resident's request. The social worker, after being informed of the allegation, advised the administrator that it should be reported, but the administrator still did not report the incident in a timely manner. The facility's policy clearly outlines the steps and timeframe for reporting such allegations, which were not followed in this case.