Failure to Use PPE for Resident on Contact Precautions
Penalty
Summary
Staff failed to adhere to the facility's infection prevention and control policies regarding the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for a resident on Contact Precautions. Specifically, a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) was observed entering the room of a resident diagnosed with unspecified acute conjunctivitis of the right eye, who had active orders for contact isolation and antibiotic eye drops, without donning the required PPE on two separate occasions. The facility's policies clearly state that staff must wear appropriate PPE, such as gowns and gloves, when entering the room of any resident on Contact Precautions or when there is a likelihood of exposure to potentially infectious materials. During interviews, the LPN expressed a misunderstanding of the policy, indicating that PPE was only necessary when providing direct care, such as administering eye drops, and not for every entry into the room. Both the Infection Preventionist and the Director of Nursing confirmed that their expectation is for staff to wear appropriate PPE whenever caring for residents on Contact Precautions. These observations and staff statements demonstrate a failure to consistently implement the facility's infection control policies, specifically regarding PPE use for residents on isolation precautions.