Improper Disposal of Used PPE and Soiled Linen
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain an effective infection prevention and control program, as evidenced by improper disposal of used blue rubber gloves and mixing of soiled linen with waste products. Surveyors observed that personal trash bins without lids, located at the bedsides of five residents, contained used blue rubber gloves. These bins were intended for residents' personal use and not for the disposal of contaminated personal protective equipment (PPE). Staff members, including CNAs, were observed or reported to have discarded used gloves in these open bins after providing care, despite facility policy requiring such items to be disposed of in lidded bins or designated containers. Further observations revealed that two of six large yellow barrels labeled for soiled linen in the east hall also contained used blue rubber gloves, sometimes mixed directly with soiled linen and without proper containment. Staff interviews confirmed that soiled linen barrels were dedicated for linen only, and that used PPE should be contained in plastic bags and discarded in gray bins with lids. Laundry staff reported having to separate trash from soiled linen, increasing their exposure to contamination. The improper disposal practices were acknowledged as unacceptable by the Infection Preventionist, Director of Maintenance, DON, and Administrator during interviews. The report included specific details about a resident who was admitted after back surgery and later transferred to the hospital with an infection. This resident witnessed a CNA discarding used gloves with stool into her personal trash bin, which did not have a lid, resulting in direct contact with contaminated material. The facility's policies and procedures, as well as CDC guidelines, were reviewed and found to require proper containment and disposal of infectious waste, which was not followed in these instances.