Failure to Provide Investigation of Narcotic Diversion and Misappropriation to Surveyors
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to provide the State Agency (SA) with access to a facility investigation related to narcotic diversion and misappropriation of resident property, which caused a delay in the survey process. During a complaint survey, the Nursing Home Administrator (NHA) and Director of Nursing (DON) were informed that the SA team would be investigating five complaints. Later that day, the SA was informed that a nurse over the weekend had been taking narcotics and that the police had been notified. In an interview, the DON confirmed that a nurse had taken narcotics and that law enforcement had been contacted several days earlier. When the SA requested the facility’s complete investigation of this incident, the DON stated that the investigation was in his office and that he could retrieve it, and the SA requested a copy of the full investigation at that time. Subsequent interviews with the Interim Assistant DON and the NHA documented that they were made aware the SA was waiting for the DON’s complete investigation. Later that afternoon, the DON confirmed that he did not have an investigation for the misappropriation of resident belongings that included narcotic diversion involving five residents. When questioned by the SA about his earlier statement that the investigation was in his office and would be copied for review, the DON admitted that no such investigation existed. The NHA and DON then confirmed that the facility did not have an investigation for five instances of misappropriation of resident property involving narcotic diversion, and they were made aware that the extended time the SA spent waiting for an investigation that did not exist resulted in a delay in the survey. The deficiency was cited under 28 Pa. Code 201.14(a) Responsibility for licensee and 28 Pa. Code 201.18(d)(e)(1) Management.
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