Failure to Immediately Report Alleged Verbal Abuse by Staff
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that an allegation of verbal abuse by staff towards a resident was immediately reported as required. The incident involved a resident with cognitive impairment, hemiplegia, hemiparesis, dementia, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, who exhibited verbal behaviors. During a lunch period, the resident began screaming in the dining room. A CNA called the resident's name in an attempt to calm her, but an LPN then yelled at the resident to "shut up" in front of others. The LPN subsequently removed the resident from the dining room to a common area and then to her room, where the CNA fed her lunch. The CNA reported the incident to a registered nurse, but not immediately, as required by facility policy. The facility's investigation included written statements from both the CNA and LPN, with the LPN acknowledging she may have told the resident to "shut up" and describing the ongoing disruptive behavior. The administrator confirmed that the allegation was not reported immediately and that facility policy requires immediate reporting of abuse allegations to the administrator or designee, with staff involved to be removed from the facility pending investigation.