Reporting Abuse

[wishinguponastarLPN]

OK I am in a situation. Sunday night my floor was crazy! It seemed like every room had something wrong going on. To make matters worse we were short 2 aides. My RN supervisor can be a real a$$. He had been riding me for the past hour about some ladies medication who had just been admitted. A heard a CNA come out of one of my residents room and say to hear "Shut up before I smack you with this brief" In the next second my supervisor was in my face yelling at me about something I was wrong about. We got into it, I asked him repeatedly to get out of my face which he did not. I got upset, locked my med car and went outside to settle down. He soon came after me to discuss. The first I said to him was what I heard. We discussed what we argued about and went inside to call the DON.

Now the DON has called me at home to say I was in the wrong because I didnt pull her from the floor and report it immediately. I tried to say to her what happened but she doesn't want to hear it. The CNA is denying it of course. This is the first time I've ever experienced something like this and am afraid they are going to try to report me for not reporting immediately. Advice please!!

[NoviceRN10]

The abuse was between you and the supervisor, or the CNA and a patient? I am confused.

[caliotter3]

Reporting is to be done as soon as possible or, as I recall from the written policies, within 72 hours at the latest. I do not see where you are wrong here. You would have reported earlier if the supervisor had not been provoking you. I would not worry about that aspect of the incident. I think it is a good idea to put these matters in writing with dates and times noted. This serves to protect you in case the report "disappears" into the ozone, or when you are accused of lolligagging on making the report.

[wishinguponastarLPN]

Let me clarify that I heard the CNA say "shut up before I smack you with this brief" to the RESIDENT. I did file an incident report with names and times. I also thought there was a 48-72 hour time on reporting the incident. The DON said it was my responsibility according to the state (KY) to remove the employee immediately and report it immediately. She made it sound like she was going to report me for not reporting it immediately.

Update: They just called me at home and told me this CNA was terminated.

[Nascar nurse, ASN, RN]

Yes, in LTC (federal requirement), you have an immediate responsibility to stop resident abuse. This means that the aide is immediately suspended pending investigation. It is also a federal requirement that the administrator be notified of the abuse.

F225 - (In part) The facility must ensure that all alleged

violations involving mistreatment, neglect, or

abuse, including injuries of unknown source

and misappropriation of resident property are

reported immediately to the administrator of

the facility and to other officials in accordance

with State law through established procedures

(including to the State survey and certification

agency).

The facility must have evidence that all

alleged violations are thoroughly investigated,

and must prevent further potential abuse while

the investigation is in progress.