Failure to Implement Enhanced Barrier Precautions During Wound Care
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a licensed nurse provided wound care to a resident with a coccyx pressure ulcer without adhering to the facility's Enhanced Barrier Precautions (EBP) policy. The nurse donned gloves but did not wear a gown while cleansing and dressing the resident's wound, and there was no personal protective equipment (PPE) or EBP signage available in the resident's room. The nurse confirmed that she had not been instructed to use additional PPE for the resident's wound care and that no PPE or EBP guidelines were present in the room at the time of care. Further, administrative staff verified that staff should have been using PPE for EBP during care for the resident with a wound, but acknowledged that necessary PPE and signage were not in place. The facility's policy required EBP for residents with wounds, including the use of gowns and gloves during high-contact care, and mandated that signage and PPE be accessible. These requirements were not met during the observed care of the resident with a pressure ulcer.