Failure to Timely Report and Investigate Alleged Misappropriation of Resident Property
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to report an allegation of misappropriation of a resident's property and the results of its investigation to the State Agency within the required timeframe. A resident with moderately impaired cognition, who was alert and able to make her needs known, reported missing two pink wallets from her purse, one of which contained her state ID and Social Security card. The incident was initially reported to the facility's administrator by a CNA, and a search was conducted by the Housekeeping Supervisor in the laundry for two days, but the missing wallet was not found. The facility did not document any follow-up with the resident after the initial report, and the plan/actions section of the investigation form was left blank. The facility's investigation was limited in scope. Only the Housekeeping Supervisor and the CNA who received the initial report were involved in the search and documentation. The administrator did not interview the resident to obtain further information about the missing wallet, nor were other staff or residents interviewed to determine if there were additional missing items or witnesses. The administrator assumed the missing wallet was not stolen because the resident did not explicitly state it was stolen, and no further investigative steps were taken until the resident's sister later reported the wallet as stolen to the police. The facility reported the incident to the State Agency six days after the initial allegation, only after the resident's family became involved and contacted authorities. The investigation summary and witness statements did not indicate that the resident was interviewed beyond the initial report, nor that other potential witnesses or staff were questioned. The facility's policy required immediate investigation and thorough documentation, including interviews with all involved persons, but these steps were not followed in this case.