Failure to Investigate and Document Alleged Misappropriation of Resident Property
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to thoroughly investigate an allegation of misappropriation involving a resident's missing blue jacket valued at $75. The resident reported the missing item after discharge, prompting the facility to initiate an investigation, notify the police, and file a report with the State Agency. Despite these actions, staff interviews revealed that no one recalled seeing the resident with the blue jacket, and a search for the item was unsuccessful. The investigation was hindered by the absence of a completed personal inventory form upon the resident's admission, making it impossible to confirm whether the jacket was present at that time. Additionally, the facility did not provide staff education on the misappropriation of resident property or on documenting residents' personal property upon admission, even though such education was listed as an immediate and ongoing intervention in the facility's investigation. The facility's own policy required prompt reporting, documentation, and investigation of missing belongings, but there was no evidence that staff had been educated on these procedures in relation to this incident.