Failure to Timely Report Allegation of Abuse
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to report an allegation of abuse in a timely manner for one resident. The incident involved an 81-year-old resident with multiple diagnoses, including heart failure and venous insufficiency, who reported that a nurse performed an incorrect treatment using scissors to debride thick dry skin on her legs, causing severe pain. The resident expressed multiple times for the nurse to stop due to 9/10 pain, but the nurse refused. The resident later stated that what happened was abuse and that she felt unsafe. This information was documented in a nurse's progress note and reported internally to the facility administrator. Despite the internal reporting, the facility did not submit the required Report of Suspected Dependent Adult/Elder Abuse (SOC 341) to the Department within the mandated two-hour timeframe. The report was received by the Department nearly two hours after the incident was identified during a chart review. Both the nurse and the administrator acknowledged during interviews that allegations of abuse must be reported to the Department within two hours, as required by facility policy and state regulations. The delay in reporting constituted a failure to comply with mandated reporting requirements.