Failure to Timely Report Resident-to-Resident Sexual Abuse Allegation
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to report an allegation of resident-to-resident sexual abuse to the State agency as required by policy. A resident with severe cognitive impairment, delusions, and disruptive behaviors reported to the psychiatric nurse practitioner that she lifted her shirt and a peer touched her breast. The resident denied being assaulted, but the incident was not communicated to the facility administrator by either the nurse or the nurse practitioner. As a result, the allegation was not reported to the State agency, was not investigated, and the resident's guardian was not notified in a timely manner. The facility's policy requires all allegations of abuse to be reported and investigated, but this process was not followed until several days later when a self-reported incident was filed.