Failure to Report and Investigate Alleged Sexual Abuse
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to report and investigate an allegation of sexual abuse involving a resident who required assistance with daily hygiene and incontinence care. The resident, who had diagnoses including high blood pressure, depression, and arthritis, and was frequently incontinent, reported to a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) that an employee assisting with incontinence care touched them inappropriately and that they did not want that employee to assist them further. The COTA immediately reported the incident to a supervisor. Despite the facility's policy requiring all allegations of abuse to be reported and investigated, the facility did not recognize, report, or investigate the allegation of sexual abuse. The Director of Nursing was made aware of the allegation on the same day it was reported, but no investigation was conducted, and the incident was not reported to the appropriate authorities. The Nursing Home Administrator confirmed that the facility was unable to provide documentation of an investigation or reporting for this incident.