Failure to Investigate Allegation of Verbal Abuse
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to thoroughly investigate an allegation of verbal abuse involving a resident with moderate cognitive impairment. According to the report, a grievance was filed by another resident, who is the spouse of the alleged victim, stating that a CNA yelled at the resident after an alarm was triggered when the resident attempted to get a remote while in a wheelchair. The facility's policy requires immediate and thorough investigation of any abuse allegations, including interviews and documentation. However, the investigation was not comprehensive; staff did not confirm or deny the incident, and there was no follow-up or further information documented. The Nursing Home Administrator acknowledged that a thorough investigation was not completed and attributed the incident to a possible misinterpretation of the CNA's tone. The administrator also confirmed that no resident or staff interviews were conducted as part of the investigation, and there was no staff education provided regarding the incident. The lack of a complete investigation did not align with the facility's abuse policy, which mandates prompt and thorough response to all allegations of abuse.