F0609 F609: Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.
D

Failure to Timely Report Abuse and Injury of Unknown Origin

Northfield Retirement Communities Care CenterScottsbluff, Nebraska Survey Completed on 07-09-2026

Summary

The facility failed to timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and failed to report the results of investigations to the proper authorities. For Resident 54, the record documented repeated resident-to-resident sexual behaviors and inappropriate physical contact involving multiple other residents over the course of more than a year. Resident 54 had diagnoses including dementia with behavioral disturbances, other sexual disorders, and high risk heterosexual behaviors. The progress notes described incidents such as grabbing another resident’s breasts, attempting to touch other residents, making sexual comments, attempting to place another resident’s hand on the resident’s genital area, and attempting to lift another resident’s shirt. The administrator later confirmed that multiple documented incidents should have been reported to the State and were not. The record also showed that the facility attempted to fax an investigation report for the 5/6/2026 resident-to-resident sexual behavior incident, but the fax transmission failed because the line was busy. There was no evidence that the facility re-faxed the report or sent it by another method. The administrator stated the facility could not locate evidence that the investigative report for that incident had been successfully sent to the State Agency as required. For Resident 6, the record showed a bruise on the right forearm that was first documented as dark purple and measured 10 cm by 10 cm. The resident was unable to state how the bruise occurred, and staff documented that the resident ambulated throughout the facility and may have bumped the arm somewhere. A later note described the bruise as 11 by 12 cm with purple, blue, and green discoloration, and the weekly skin observation stated the origin was unknown because the resident could not report how the bruise was received due to cognitive impairment. APS was not notified until 10/20/2025, and the administrator confirmed the initial bruise was identified on 10/8/2025 and that the report to APS was made past the required two-hour timeframe.

Penalty

No penalty information released
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The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.

Resources

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See other F0609 citations
Failure to Report Allegation of Verbal Abuse
D
F0609 F609: Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.
Short Summary

Failure to Report Allegation of Verbal Abuse: A resident with HTN, anxiety disorder, and hyperlipidemia reported that a staff member yelled at her during resident council. Facility records showed a nurse aide was disciplined and retrained on communication, but the allegation was not included in the abuse reports submitted to the State. The DON confirmed the required report was not filed.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Timely Report Alleged Abuse
D
F0609 F609: Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.
Short Summary

Failure to Timely Report Alleged Abuse: The facility did not report an allegation of abuse involving a cognitively intact resident with stroke, coordination, and anxiety diagnoses to HHSC within the required 2-hour timeframe. The resident alleged that an CNA had bullied her during a smoke break, and the Administrator acknowledged the report should have been made within 2 hours but was not submitted until later that day.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Report Allegations of Verbal Abuse and Involuntary Seclusion
D
F0609 F609: Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.
Short Summary

Failure to Report Allegations of Verbal Abuse and Involuntary Seclusion: The facility did not report multiple grievances involving an RN and an LPN to the SA, including resident complaints of rude and disrespectful comments, yelling, scolding, and blocking residents from entering their rooms when they tried to self-transfer. Documentation showed incomplete grievance investigations, delayed administrator sign-off, and no timely reporting of the allegations as verbal abuse or involuntary seclusion.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Report Suspected Abuse and Unexplained Injury
D
F0609 F609: Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.
Short Summary

A resident reported being frightened after another resident repeatedly entered the room, grabbed belongings, and acted aggressively, but the concern was not reported to the SA within 2 hours. In a separate incident, a cognitively intact resident returned from the ER with a minor labial tear/perineal laceration and minimal bleeding, yet the DON and administrator did not treat it as reportable abuse or an injury of unknown source and did not investigate it.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Report Alleged Mistreatment During Hair Grooming
D
F0609 F609: Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.
Short Summary

A facility failed to report an alleged mistreatment during a resident’s hair grooming to the State Agency within the required timeframe. The resident had dementia, depression, severe cognitive impairment, and was dependent on staff for grooming and hygiene. Records showed a matted area of hair was removed, leaving a reddened scalp, and staff later described the event as an abuse allegation that should have been reported.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Timely Report Injury of Unknown Origin
D
F0609 F609: Timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and report the results of the investigation to proper authorities.
Short Summary

Failure to Timely Report Injury of Unknown Origin: A resident with dementia and multiple medical diagnoses developed unexplained right elbow swelling, redness, warmth, and pain, later found to be a dislocation with fracture. An LPN notified the NP, DON, and family and a STAT x-ray was ordered, but the initial report to IDPH was not made within the required two-hour timeframe after the injury of unknown origin was identified.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
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