Failure to Remove Accused Staff After Abuse Allegation
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to protect residents from potential abuse when an employee accused of abuse by a resident was allowed to continue working their shift. Specifically, a resident reported to an LPN that they did not want a particular nurse aide to provide care because the aide allegedly threw them against the wall. The LPN assigned another staff member to care for the resident for the remainder of the evening but did not immediately report the allegation to the Director of Nursing (DON) or send the accused aide home. The DON only became aware of the incident the following day after reading the progress notes and confirmed that the LPN had not followed the facility's abuse policy, which requires immediate intervention and reporting of abuse allegations. The accused nurse aide continued to work on the 200 hall, covering multiple rooms and potentially affecting several residents during the shift in question. The facility's abuse policy outlines the need for immediate action to protect residents and prevent further abuse while an investigation is conducted, but this protocol was not followed. The DON acknowledged that the LPN received only undocumented verbal education regarding the reporting process after the incident, and there was no evidence of immediate intervention or removal of the accused staff member from resident care duties at the time of the allegation.