Failure to Maintain Infection Control by Storing Urinal Near Food
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency was identified when a urinal containing urine was observed on a bedside table next to a resident's food and drinks. The resident had a diagnosis of an unspecified mental disorder, moderately impaired cognition, and required varying levels of assistance for activities of daily living, including set up or clean up assistance for eating. The urinal's placement was confirmed during an observation and interview with an LVN, who acknowledged that this was not safe for infection control reasons. The facility's Infection Prevention and Control policy stated that a safe and sanitary environment must be maintained to prevent and manage the transmission of diseases and infections. During a review with the DON, it was confirmed that placing a urinal next to food is not in accordance with the facility's policy and could result in an unsafe and unsanitary environment. The deficiency was based on the failure to keep the urinal away from the resident's food, as required by the facility's infection control procedures.