Failure to Maintain Sanitary Storage of Respiratory Equipment
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency was identified regarding the improper storage and sanitation of respiratory equipment for a resident requiring respiratory care. Over the course of several days, observations revealed that the resident's nebulizer mask and tubing were not dated or stored in a bag as required. The equipment, which was visibly dirty with white specs of dried debris, was repeatedly found lying on the bedside table rather than being properly cleaned and stored. These observations were made on three separate occasions, indicating a persistent failure to follow proper procedures for respiratory equipment maintenance. The resident involved had multiple diagnoses, including diabetes, depression, dementia, anxiety, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and had a physician's order for nebulizer treatments as needed. However, there were no specific physician orders regarding the frequency of changing the nebulizer mask or tubing. Facility staff confirmed during interviews that the nebulizer mask should have been bagged and dated when not in use, in accordance with the facility's policy, which requires cleaning and bagging after each use and weekly changes of the equipment and storage bag.