Failure to Follow Infection Prevention and Control Practices During Medication and PICC Line Administration
Penalty
Summary
Two deficiencies in infection prevention and control practices were identified during surveyor observations and interviews. In one instance, an LPN was observed administering oral medications to two residents without performing hand hygiene between administrations. The LPN also handled tablets and capsules from multi-dose bottles with bare hands, transferring them from her palm into medication cups, contrary to established protocols that require the use of gloves if direct contact is necessary. The LPN acknowledged during the surveyor's intervention that these actions did not comply with infection prevention standards. In another case, a resident with a PICC line for antibiotic administration reported that staff did not wear gowns when accessing the line. This was confirmed during an observation where an agency LPN accessed and flushed the resident's PICC line without donning a gown or following transmission-based precautions. The LPN admitted to not following the required precautions during an interview. These findings were reviewed with facility leadership during the exit conference.