Failure to Report Alleged Misappropriation of Resident Property
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to report an allegation of misappropriation involving a resident's missing personal items to the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) as required. The incident involved a resident with multiple diagnoses, including achalasia of cardia, narcolepsy with cataplexy, anxiety disorder, PTSD, major depression, and bipolar disorder, who was assessed as cognitively intact. The resident's vapes were reported missing, and the resident's roommate stated that an LPN was seen entering the room and accessing the resident's belongings. The resident notified the local police, who responded and interviewed both the resident and the LPN, who denied taking the items. The facility conducted an internal investigation, including review of video footage and interviews with involved parties. The video showed the LPN entering and exiting the resident's room, but there was no visual evidence of the LPN taking any items. The missing vapes were later found in a soiled utility room and returned to the resident by social services. Despite the investigation and the involvement of local law enforcement, the facility did not document the incident in the resident's progress notes as an allegation of misappropriation, nor did they report the allegation to the NJDOH as required by regulation. Interviews with facility leadership confirmed that the previous administration did not report the incident to the NJDOH, citing that the investigation was unsubstantiated and the items were eventually found. The facility was unable to provide documentation or video evidence to support their statements regarding the notification of the resident or the outcome of the investigation. The facility's own abuse prevention policy requires reporting of all allegations of abuse or misappropriation within required timeframes, which was not followed in this case.