Failure to Inform Residents of Grievance Process
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide residents with information regarding the grievance process and how to file a grievance, as required by policy. Record review and interviews revealed that three residents, including one who was cognitively intact and served as the presiding president of the Resident Council, were unaware of their right to file a grievance or the process for doing so. These residents reported that the grievance process had never been explained to them individually or during resident council meetings. One resident with moderate cognitive impairment also indicated he was unaware of the process and could not recall it being discussed at meetings he attended. Further investigation showed that there was no posted information about the grievance process in the facility, and the Assistant Director of Nursing confirmed a lack of knowledge about how the process worked. Although the Administrator was able to provide a written policy and the names of the grievance committee members, there was no evidence that this information was communicated to residents. The facility's own policies stated that residents have the right to file grievances orally or in writing and that the facility should assist residents in exercising this right, but these procedures were not being followed or made known to residents.