Failure to Timely Report Alleged Abuse to Authorities
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to report an allegation of abuse involving a resident within the required timeframe as outlined in its own abuse prevention and management policy. According to the facility's policy, all allegations of abuse must be reported to law enforcement and regulatory agencies immediately or within two hours of the initial report. In this incident, a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) was observed by another CNA forcefully grabbing a resident's shirt and shoulders and shoving him back into his wheelchair to prevent a fall. Another CNA then made a comment to the resident about why he is not assisted to get up. The incident was reported internally to a Licensed Nurse, but the facility administrator did not notify the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) until the following day, well beyond the required two-hour window. The resident involved had a history of stroke with left-sided weakness and required assistance with care but was able to make his own healthcare decisions. The delay in reporting the abuse allegation was confirmed during an interview with the administrator, who initially believed the reporting timeframe was within 24 hours if there were no injuries. Upon review of the facility's policy, the administrator acknowledged that the correct timeframe was immediately or within two hours, and confirmed that the facility did not adhere to this requirement for the reported incident.