Failure to Timely Report Alleged Verbal Abuse
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to report an alleged incident of verbal abuse in a timely manner, as required by policy and regulation. Staff members observed a CNA making inappropriate and demeaning comments to a resident, including statements that the resident should clean himself after soiling and referring to the resident in a derogatory manner. Multiple staff members witnessed these interactions, and the resident was observed to be visibly upset and requested not to have further care from the involved CNA. Despite these observations, the incident was not immediately reported to the Director of Nursing (DON) or administration as required. Documentation and staff interviews revealed confusion regarding the date of the incident, with some staff initially reporting the event occurred on one day, while records and schedules indicated it happened the previous day. The DON and Administrator confirmed that the incident was not reported until after the CNA had completed her shift the following day, allowing the staff member to continue working with the resident in the interim. Facility policy required immediate reporting of all allegations of abuse, neglect, or mistreatment, but this protocol was not followed, resulting in a delay in notifying the appropriate authorities.