Failure to Immediately Report and Investigate Resident Allegation of Rough Handling
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to immediately report and investigate a resident’s allegation of potential abuse/neglect as required by policy and state law. Facility policy (RISKWATCH Incident/Accident Occurrence Reporting System) required that incidents such as alleged abuse, rough handling, equipment-related incidents involving a resident, and injuries of unknown origin be entered completely and accurately by the licensed nurse or first responder prior to the end of the shift and as close to the time of the incident as possible, with documentation on the 24-hour report and alert monitoring per change of condition standards. A resident with diagnoses including traumatic subdural hematoma, displaced fracture of the seventh cervical vertebra, and traumatic brain injury reported to an RN that during care the previous night, when he was being boosted in bed, his head hit the headboard and he was experiencing increased numbness and tingling in his left forearm and first and second fingers, with pins and needles in the left upper extremity, right hand, and both feet. The RN documented that there was no obvious head injury or increased pain and that the cervical-thoracic orthosis brace was intact, though missing a foam piece underneath the bottom portion. Despite this report from the resident, and the resident’s plan of care indicating he had potential/actual impairment related to a cervical collar and impaired mobility requiring use of caution during transfers and bed mobility to prevent striking extremities against hard or sharp surfaces, the nursing staff did not make an incident report or initiate an investigation at that time. The Nursing Home Administrator confirmed that the resident and family reported the event to nursing staff on the date of the RN’s note without staff making a report in accordance with facility policy and state requirements. An investigation was not initiated until later, after the family emailed facility administration with concerns related to the event. The Nursing Home Administrator and Director of Nursing acknowledged that the facility failed to immediately report and investigate the resident’s allegation in response to allegations of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or mistreatment.
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