Failure to Investigate Alleged Abuse According to Policy
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure a thorough investigation was conducted and documented after an allegation of physical abuse was made by a resident with moderate cognitive impairment who was dependent on staff for care. The resident reported that an agency nurse had hit their leg and face during a night shift. The facility's policy requires all allegations of abuse to be thoroughly investigated, but there was no documentation that the accused nurse or other staff present during the alleged incident were interviewed or provided written witness statements. Interviews confirmed that the accused agency nurse was never notified of the allegation, nor was she interviewed or asked to provide a statement. The facility administrator was unable to provide any documentation showing that the accused or potential witnesses were interviewed as part of the investigation. This lack of evidence indicates that the facility did not follow its own abuse investigation policy in response to the reported incident.