Failure to Investigate Allegation of Verbal Abuse
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to thoroughly investigate an allegation of verbal abuse made by a resident against a Certified Nurse Aide (CNA). Upon receiving the allegation, the Administrator suspended the CNA and subsequently terminated her employment for violating the resident care policy. However, there was no evidence provided of a comprehensive investigation into the abuse allegation. Specifically, the Administrator could not produce any statements from residents or staff, assessments of the resident involved or others with similar concerns, or documentation of staff education regarding abuse identification and reporting. Additionally, there were no attachments or supporting documents included with the self-reported incident submitted to the State Survey Agency. Review of facility policy indicated that an immediate and thorough investigation is required when abuse is suspected, including interviews with all involved parties and documentation of findings. Despite this, the Administrator confirmed that no such investigation or documentation was completed. The deficiency was identified during a complaint investigation and affected one of three residents reviewed for abuse allegations, with the facility census at 89 at the time.