Failure to Timely Report Alleged Abuse/Neglect to State Agency
Penalty
Summary
An allegation of abuse/neglect involving a resident was not reported to the State Agency (SA) in a timely manner as required by the facility's policy. The resident, who was cognitively intact with a BIMS score of 14 and had diagnoses including obesity, muscle weakness, anxiety, and depression, reported to a Medication Technician (MT) that staff failed to provide care over a weekend, resulting in the resident being left incontinent for an extended period. The resident's family member also reported concerns, including inappropriate staff comments and improper use of transfer equipment. Despite these reports, the facility staff did not follow the policy for reporting alleged violations. The MT relayed the concern to the Social Worker (SW), but the SW did not recognize or act on the abuse/neglect allegation, nor did the SW report it to the SA. The Nursing Home Administrator was unaware of the incident until informed by the surveyor, confirming that the required reporting did not occur.