Failure to Maintain Sanitary Storage and Cleaning of Nebulizer Equipment
Penalty
Summary
Facility staff failed to implement sanitary storage and maintenance of nebulizer breathing treatment devices for multiple residents. Observations revealed that nebulizer equipment, including tubing and masks, was left open to the air on chairs and bedside tables, not dated, and sometimes placed on paper towels to dry but not stored in a sanitary manner. In several instances, the equipment was attached to machines sitting on the floor or chair, and there was no evidence of proper cleaning or dating. Residents reported that their nebulizer equipment was regularly left out in this manner, and one resident stated that his nebulizer had not been rinsed out since his admission. Interviews with staff confirmed that nebulizers and oxygen tubing should have been dated, cleaned after each use, and stored in a bag once dry, in accordance with facility policy. However, observations and resident reports indicated that these procedures were not consistently followed. The facility's own policy required cleaning, disassembly, rinsing with sterile or distilled water, air drying, and storage in a zip lock bag, but these steps were not observed in practice for the residents sampled.