Improper Disposal of Sharps and Contaminated Materials
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that the environment was free from accident hazards and did not provide adequate supervision to prevent accidents for four residents with cognitive impairments. Observations revealed that a retractable lancet device and blood-stained alcohol prep pads were left sitting in the horizontal drop slot of sharps containers in two separate rooms. These items were not fully disposed of inside the containers, leaving them accessible to residents. Record reviews indicated that the affected residents had diagnoses of Alzheimer's disease or dementia, with varying levels of cognitive impairment and self-care deficits. Interviews with the DON, an LVN, and the administrator confirmed that facility policy requires all sharps and contaminated items to be fully disposed of inside designated containers, and that staff are responsible for ensuring this is done immediately after use. The improper disposal of these items was directly observed and acknowledged by staff as not meeting facility policy.