Failure to Provide Required Written Notice Prior to Facility-Initiated Discharge
Penalty
Summary
A facility-initiated discharge occurred for a resident who had a history of multiple elopement attempts, falls, wandering into other resident rooms, inappropriate touching of staff and other residents, removing clothing in common areas, and a sexual incident with another resident. The facility determined it could not meet the resident's needs and planned a transfer to another skilled nursing facility, with meetings held with the resident's responsible party to discuss these behaviors and the recommendation for transfer. Despite knowing about the planned transfer four days in advance, the facility failed to provide the resident's responsible party with a written notice of transfer prior to discharge. There was no documentation that the required notice, which should have included the reason for discharge, effective date, discharge location, information on appeal rights, and contact information for the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman, was given as mandated by regulations.