Failure to Implement Standard Precautions and Safe Storage Practices
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain an effective infection prevention and control program by not implementing standard precautions during the care of two residents. For one resident with chronic respiratory conditions, a partially used sterile saline solution vial for nebulizer inhalation was found at the bedside. Both a respiratory therapist and the lead respiratory therapist confirmed that any unused residual saline solution should be discarded after use to prevent contamination and infection, and that leaving such vials at the bedside is not permitted. For another resident with a history of cancer, gastrostomy tube, and chronic respiratory failure, several items were found improperly stored in the bedside drawer. These included an open water pitcher containing tube feeding formula, a piston syringe inside the pitcher, a urinal with urine, an open can of soft drink, a drinking cup with soft drink, and a bottle of sterile water. A licensed vocational nurse acknowledged that food and drink items should not be placed next to a urinal containing urine due to the risk of contamination and infection. Interviews with facility staff confirmed that the observed practices were not in accordance with facility policies on infection control and food storage. The facility's policies require standard precautions at all times and mandate that food and beverages be properly labeled, dated, sealed, and stored to prevent contamination. The failure to follow these procedures resulted in a deficient practice that increased the risk of infection transmission among residents, staff, and visitors.