Failure to Include Timely Abuse Reporting Requirements in Facility Policies
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that its policies and procedures regarding resident abuse included the requirement to report allegations of abuse to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) within 2 hours of awareness and to submit an investigation summary within 5 business days. A review of the facility's policies titled 'Abuse and Neglect Investigation' and 'Abuse Reporting Requirements' revealed that neither document specified these mandatory reporting timeframes. During an interview, the Director of Nursing (DON) acknowledged the omission of these requirements in the facility's policies and stated that she became aware of the 2-hour and 5-day reporting requirements only after being informed by the Chief Quality Officer and a CDPH Surveyor. These failures affected a census of 8 residents, as the facility's policies did not align with state reporting requirements for abuse allegations.