Failure to Maintain Sanitary Shared Bathroom Environment
Penalty
Summary
Facility staff failed to maintain a safe, clean, comfortable, and sanitary environment for two residents who shared a bathroom. During an observation, a clump of brown bowel movement was found smeared on the toilet seat in the shared bathroom. The housekeeper assigned to clean the area confirmed that she had cleaned one of the resident's rooms earlier in her shift but had not yet cleaned the bathroom, stating she planned to do so later. At the time of the interview, the toilet remained soiled with both smeared feces and urine in the bowl. The Director of Staff Development acknowledged that the toilet should not have been left in such a condition and emphasized that it should have been cleaned to prevent injury or transmission of infection. Facility policies reviewed indicated that residents are to be provided with a safe, clean, and homelike environment, and that infection control practices are intended to maintain a sanitary environment and prevent disease transmission. The failure to promptly clean the soiled toilet created an unsanitary environment for the residents using the shared bathroom.