Failure to Disinfect Glucometer and Incomplete Staff Illness Surveillance
Penalty
Summary
A registered nurse failed to properly disinfect a glucometer after use on a resident during a blood glucose check. After using the device, the nurse placed the used lancet in the sharps container and returned the glucometer to the treatment cart drawer without disinfecting it, despite the presence of another resident's glucometer in the same drawer. When questioned, the nurse admitted to forgetting to disinfect the device and subsequently used disinfecting wipes on both glucometers but did not allow the required wet contact time as per manufacturer instructions. The facility's policy required cleaning and disinfecting glucometers after each use, but this was not followed, and there was confusion among staff regarding the correct disinfection procedure and contact time. Additionally, the facility failed to maintain accurate staff illness surveillance records. For two staff members who called in sick, the illness logs and call-in reports did not document return-to-work dates, clearance procedures, or the number of days absent. The infection preventionist confirmed that the staff illness log and call-in forms were used for surveillance, but these forms lacked critical information. The director of nursing acknowledged the deficiencies in documentation and was unable to provide evidence of additional training or policy updates regarding staff illness surveillance.