Failure to Timely Separate Alleged Abuser from Residents
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to promptly separate residents from an alleged perpetrator of abuse after an incident was reported. On 4/1/25, a staff member from housekeeping reported to the DON that a CNA was speaking loudly and disrespectfully to a resident in the memory care common area. Further investigation revealed that another CNA witnessed the same CNA loudly telling a resident that she knew how to do her job, and also observed the CNA continuing to shower a different resident with water the resident stated was too hot. Despite these reports, the CNA in question continued to work on 4/3/25, and the meeting to address the situation was not scheduled until 4/4/25. Facility policy requires that staff intervene and remove alleged abusers from contact with residents until an investigation is complete. However, the CNA accused of mistreatment was not immediately removed from resident care duties following the initial allegation. The DON confirmed that the CNA worked after the complaint was made and that she was not aware of any prior behaviors. The delay in separating the alleged perpetrator from residents did not align with the facility's stated procedures for protecting residents during abuse investigations.