Failure to Report Alleged Misappropriation of Resident Property
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to report an allegation of misappropriation of property to the State Survey Agency as required by policy and regulation. A resident, who was cognitively intact and had diagnoses including left femur fracture, diabetes mellitus, depression, chronic ischemic heart disease, and anxiety, reported missing $1,000 in cash. The resident stated that he gave the money to a nurse to place in his nightstand, and later the nurse put the money in her medication cart. The following day, the nurse allegedly gave the money to one of the resident's visitors. The resident subsequently called the police and filed a report regarding the missing money. The police report indicated that the unit manager had not seen the cash since the resident refused to secure it in a locked box and noted that the resident had visitors on two consecutive days. The facility's social services staff confirmed that an internal investigation was initiated, including witness statements from the DON, a CNA, and the unit manager. However, the facility did not report the allegation of misappropriation to the State Survey Agency, as confirmed by the administrator. Facility policy required reporting such allegations within 24 hours, but this was not done.