Failure to Follow Hand Hygiene and Medication Handling Protocols
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to adhere to standard precautions and perform hand hygiene during the administration of oral medications for eight residents. Specifically, a Registered Nurse (RN) and a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) did not perform hand hygiene before or after administering oral medications to the residents. Additionally, the LPN was observed dropping a B-12 tablet onto the medication cart surface and then picking it up with bare hands before placing it in a medicine cup with other medications, which was then administered to a resident. The facility's policy clearly states that hand hygiene should be performed before and after medication administration and that medications dropped onto surfaces should be discarded, not administered. The Director of Nursing confirmed these procedures during interviews.