Failure to Protect Resident Following Allegation and Signs of Abuse
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a resident, who was dependent on staff for assistance with daily activities and lacked capacity to make decisions, reported being struck to a CNA after bruising was observed on her face. The CNA relayed the resident's statement to an RN, but there was no evidence that immediate protective measures or a thorough investigation were initiated at that time. Later, another CNA witnessed an RN roughly handling the resident and observed redness on both cheeks. Despite reporting the resident's allegations and observed rough handling to another RN, no action was taken to protect the resident or escalate the concern, as the RN did not perceive the resident's behavior as a concern and did not seek translation or further assessment. The facility's failure to act on the resident's allegations and visible injuries resulted in the resident being left unprotected after making an abuse allegation. The staff did not follow the facility's policy to report and investigate suspected abuse, and the resident remained at risk for continued abuse. The deficiency was identified through interviews, record reviews, and direct observations of the resident's injuries and staff interactions.