Failure to Timely Report Alleged Abuse to Proper Authorities
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that all alleged violations involving mistreatment, neglect, or abuse were reported to the appropriate authorities in accordance with state law and facility policy. Specifically, a staff member witnessed an incident in which a resident's wife yelled at and slapped the resident, then grabbed his face and made a threatening statement. The staff member wrote a statement about the incident approximately one hour after witnessing it and left it under a supervisor's door, as instructed by her supervisor. However, the supervisor was not present for four days, resulting in a delay in reporting the incident to the administrator or designee. Interviews and record reviews revealed that the facility's procedures for immediate reporting were not followed. The facility policy requires that all allegations of abuse be reported immediately, but not later than two hours after the allegation is made, to the administrator and other required agencies. The staff member did not directly notify the administrator, DON, or social services supervisor, and the education provided to staff regarding abuse reporting was not documented or verified for completion, particularly among agency staff. This lapse led to a failure in timely reporting and documentation as required by both facility policy and state regulations.