Failure to Immediately Separate Alleged Abuser from All Residents
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to immediately separate an alleged abuser from all potential victims following an allegation of abuse. A resident with no cognitive impairment, who had diagnoses of anxiety and depression, reported that a bath-aide was rough and rushed her during a shower, including pinching her breast with a gait belt and jamming a toothbrush in her mouth. The incident was reported to a charge nurse and the DON, but the staff member accused of abuse was only reassigned to a different area and continued to work with other residents before being suspended. The facility's abuse prevention policy requires immediate separation of the accused employee from all residents upon receiving an allegation, but this was not followed, resulting in a failure to protect all potential victims during the investigation.