Failure to Follow Infection Control Procedures During Medication Pass
Penalty
Summary
During a medication pass observation, an LPN was seen removing a medication tablet from its container into her ungloved hand and using her fingernail to move medication tablets around in a medication cup to count them. The facility's policies on hand hygiene and medication administration require staff to follow infection control procedures, including handwashing and the use of gloves when handling medications. In interviews, the LPN admitted to not always wearing gloves during medication passes and confirmed that she touched the medication tablets with her bare hands, acknowledging that gloves should have been worn. The RN/Unit Manager also confirmed that nurses are expected to wear gloves when preparing medications and should not touch pills that are to be administered.