Failure to Timely Report Alleged Abuse and Neglect
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to timely report allegations of abuse and neglect involving two residents with intact cognition. Both residents reported negative interactions with an LPN, including being ignored, treated disrespectfully, and experiencing verbal abuse. One resident described the LPN spraying a strong air freshener in their room, making negative remarks about their smell, and intentionally withholding medications. The other resident reported being ignored by the same LPN and suspected the LPN was telling others not to speak to him, leading to concerns about retaliation among residents. Despite being informed of these allegations by several residents, the facility's administration did not immediately report the incidents to the State Agency as required by their policy, which mandates reporting within two hours for abuse or neglect allegations. The administrator initially considered the issue to be related to customer service rather than abuse or neglect, resulting in a delay in reporting. The report to the State Agency was ultimately made the following day, outside the required timeframe.