Failure to Provide Proper PPE Disposal and Monitoring for Enhanced Barrier Precautions
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure proper implementation of Enhanced Barrier Precautions (EBP) for nine residents who required personal protective equipment (PPE) due to being on precautions for multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs). Observations and interviews revealed that trash receptacles for discarding PPE were not positioned inside the doorways of the affected residents' rooms, as required by CDC guidance. Instead, the only available trash cans were located inside the bathrooms with closed doors, making it difficult for staff to properly dispose of contaminated PPE upon exiting the rooms. Staff interviews confirmed that, due to a shortage of trash receptacles, PPE was sometimes discarded in bathroom trash cans or in community hallway trash cans rather than at the point of exit from the resident rooms. Additionally, the infection control nurse, who was responsible for ensuring the availability of precaution supplies and monitoring staff adherence to EBP, had not conducted the required spot checks of the rooms. The facility's EBP policy did not address the required placement of trash receptacles or the need for periodic monitoring of staff compliance. These lapses were identified through review of facility records, direct observation, and staff interviews, and were not corrected until after the deficiency was observed.