Failure to Timely Report Resident-to-Resident Abuse Allegation
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to report an allegation of resident-to-resident abuse to the Indiana Department of Health within the required timeframe for two residents. On the morning of the incident, one resident was observed yelling at another in a hallway, with staff intervening to separate them. The Social Services Director (SSD) witnessed the aftermath, spoke with those involved, and reported the incident to the former Administrator. The Administrator instructed the SSD to wait before documenting the event, indicating she wanted to consult someone first, but then left the facility without providing further direction. The SSD later entered progress notes about the incident, believing it had been reported to the state, as one resident had threatened another. However, the required notification to the Department of Health was not made within the mandated two-hour window after the allegation was made. Facility policy clearly required immediate reporting of any alleged abuse, but this protocol was not followed in this instance.