Failure to Immediately Report Allegation of Misappropriation
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure immediate notification of the abuse coordinator following an allegation of misappropriation of a resident's property. A resident reported to a nursing assistant that $300 was missing from her wallet between 1 PM and 5 PM. The nursing assistant informed a registered nurse that evening, but the nurse did not notify the abuse coordinator or management immediately. Instead, the nurse left a message for the next shift to have social services see the resident the following day, despite being aware that immediate reporting was required for any abuse allegations, including theft or misappropriation. The Assistant Director of Nursing was not made aware of the missing money until the following day. Interviews confirmed that staff are required to report such allegations to the abuse coordinator or management immediately, and waiting until the next day is not acceptable. The facility's Abuse Prevention Program policy also states that any allegations of abuse or misappropriation should be reported to a supervisor, who must then immediately notify the administrator.