Failure to Clean Shared Glucometers Between Uses
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure proper cleaning and disinfection of shared glucometers between patient use for three residents with diabetes mellitus who required regular blood glucose monitoring. Observations showed that a registered nurse used a glucometer to check blood sugar levels for multiple residents without cleaning the device between uses. Disinfectant wipes were not present on the medication cart, and the nurse confirmed during an interview that he had not been instructed to clean the glucometers between uses. The infection preventionist stated that nurses were trained to clean glucometers during orientation and that each resident should have their own assigned glucometer, but this was not being followed in practice. Facility policy required that blood glucose meters be cleaned and disinfected after each use, regardless of whether the meter was shared or assigned to a single resident. Documentation confirmed that the residents involved had orders for frequent blood glucose monitoring and that the glucometers were shared among them without proper cleaning. The failure to follow established infection control protocols was identified through observation, interview, and document review.