Failure to Fully Investigate Allegation of Misappropriation of Resident Property
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to fully investigate an allegation of misappropriation of money involving a resident who was admitted with acute respiratory failure and cognitive communication deficit. The resident was alert and oriented at admission, required assistance with activities of daily living, and brought personal electronic devices to the facility. After being transferred to the hospital for an acute change in condition, the resident did not return and subsequently passed away. The resident's family later reported unauthorized financial transactions from the resident's PayPal account, which were linked to a staff member's contact information. The facility initiated an internal investigation, notified the police, and suspended the implicated staff member. Despite these initial actions, the investigation was incomplete. The facility did not obtain statements from the accused staff member, other staff, other residents, or resident representatives. Key personnel, such as the social workers, were not involved in the investigation and were not instructed to conduct interviews or assist in gathering information. The investigation did not include interviews with other staff or residents to determine if additional individuals were affected by misappropriation, and there was no evidence that the facility attempted to contact all relevant parties. The facility's abuse policy required a thorough investigation, including interviews with all witnesses and individuals with relevant information, but this was not followed. Interviews with facility leadership confirmed that a full investigation should have been conducted, including interviews with other staff, residents, and their representatives. However, these steps were not taken, and the investigation was limited to the initial report and suspension of the accused staff member. The failure to conduct a comprehensive investigation as outlined in facility policy resulted in a deficiency related to the facility's response to an allegation of misappropriation of resident property.