Failure to Notify Law Enforcement of Medication Misappropriation
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that all alleged violations involving misappropriation of resident medications were reported to all required authorities. Specifically, when the facility became aware of an allegation that a nurse had signed out a resident's narcotic medication and placed the pill in her pocket, the facility initiated an investigation and submitted a Facility Reported Incident to the State Agency as required. However, the facility did not notify law enforcement about the incident, despite this being a requirement outlined in their own policy and acknowledged by the Nursing Home Administrator (NHA) during interview. The facility's policy mandates immediate reporting of all alleged violations, including misappropriation of resident property, to the administrator, state agency, adult protective services, and law enforcement when applicable. The surveyor's review of the investigation confirmed that while staff were educated and an internal investigation was conducted, the police were not contacted regarding the misappropriation of medication. The NHA confirmed during interview that law enforcement should have been notified in this case.