Failure to Adhere to Enhanced Barrier Precautions During High-Contact Care
Penalty
Summary
Staff failed to follow required infection prevention and control protocols for residents on enhanced barrier precautions. For one resident with a gastrostomy tube, a registered nurse was observed connecting a syringe to the feeding tube while wearing gloves but not an isolation gown, despite signage on the resident's door and care plan instructions indicating that both gloves and gown were required for high-contact care activities. The facility's policy specified that enhanced barrier precautions, including gown and gloves, must be used during high-contact care such as device care. In another instance, an agency certified nursing assistant provided care to a resident with both a gastrostomy tube and an indwelling urinary catheter without wearing a protective gown. Additionally, there was no sign indicating enhanced barrier precautions on the resident's door, even though physician orders required such precautions. The assistant director of nursing/infection preventionist confirmed that staff are in-serviced to wear both gown and gloves for direct care of residents on enhanced barrier precautions and that appropriate signage should be present.