Failure to Follow Infection Control Protocols During Equipment Cleaning
Penalty
Summary
Facility staff failed to follow infection control practices when two Certified Nurse Assistants (CNAs) disinfected a Hoyer lift in the hallway without wearing gloves and did not perform hand hygiene after cleaning the equipment. The CNAs used CaviWipes, a disinfectant that, according to its safety data sheet and facility policy, requires the use of gloves due to the risk of skin irritation and potential for infection transmission. After cleaning, the CNAs immediately entered a resident's room with the Hoyer lift without washing their hands or using hand sanitizer. Interviews with the CNAs confirmed that they were aware gloves should have been worn and hand hygiene performed after cleaning the equipment. The facility's infection preventionist also confirmed that the Hoyer lift should have been cleaned in the resident's room, not in the hallway, and that proper personal protective equipment and hand hygiene protocols were not followed during the observed incident. Facility policies reviewed indicated clear requirements for cleaning and disinfecting equipment, use of PPE, and hand hygiene, which were not adhered to in this instance.