Laundry Area Not Maintained in Sanitary Condition and Good Repair
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain the laundry area in a sanitary condition and in good repair, as evidenced by observations of dust particles on laundry supplies, racks, and window screens in the contaminated linen area. One window screen was found to be damaged with a hole. These conditions were confirmed by both the Housekeeping and Laundry Supervisor (HLS) and a Maintenance Worker during interviews. The HLS acknowledged that the laundry room should always be clean due to infection concerns. Additionally, the HLS stated that the contaminated linen area is only cleaned once a week, while the clean linen area is cleaned every shift, and was unable to provide cleaning logs for either area. Further interviews with the Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON) and the Administrator confirmed expectations that all areas, including the soiled linen area, should be kept clean and in good repair to prevent the entry of animals or rodents and to maintain infection control. A review of the facility's policy indicated that the facility should be clean, safe, sanitary, and in good repair at all times, with all window screens maintained in good condition. The failure to meet these standards had the potential to affect the safe and sanitary handling of laundry items for a census of 175 residents.