Failure to Provide Liners for Sharps Containers in Resident Rooms
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide liners for sharps containers in two out of four wings, as observed during resident room tours. Multiple wall-mounted sharps containers in resident rooms were found to contain used sharps, connector tubing, and other discarded items directly in the bottom of the containers, without any red container receptacle liners or inner boxes to house the waste. These observations were documented with photographic evidence and occurred in both the east and south wings, including the newer section of the 400 South wing. The facility's policy requires that regulated medical waste, including contaminated sharps, be managed according to federal, state, and local regulations, and that sharps containers be closable, puncture-resistant, leak-proof, and properly maintained. Interviews with several nursing staff, including RNs, LPNs, and the DON, confirmed that the sharps containers in resident rooms did not have liners or inner boxes as required. The containers were not emptied, cleaned, lined, or properly maintained until after surveyor intervention. The deficiency was identified through direct observation and staff interviews, with no mention of specific residents' medical histories or conditions at the time of the deficiency.