Failure to Timely Report Alleged Abuse to State Agency
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to report an allegation of abuse involving a resident within the required 2-hour timeframe to the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing (DIAL). According to facility documentation, a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) was observed by a Registered Nurse (RN) pushing a resident's hands away from his plate multiple times during breakfast and eventually wheeling the resident away from the table before he finished his meal. The RN reported the incident to the Administrator at approximately 3:30 PM, several hours after the event occurred. The facility then contacted the State Agency by phone at 4:57 PM and completed the online self-report the following morning. Staff interviews revealed that the RN believed abuse allegations without observable injury needed to be reported within 24 hours, rather than the required 2 hours. The Director of Nursing (DON) stated that staff are expected to report abuse immediately and separate the resident from the alleged abuser. Facility policy, updated in October 2022, clearly states that all allegations of resident abuse must be reported to the state agency within 2 hours. The delay in reporting the incident constituted a failure to follow both regulatory requirements and facility policy.