Deficient Infection Control Surveillance and Employee Health Monitoring
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain a comprehensive and ongoing infection control surveillance program, as evidenced by incomplete documentation and lack of implementation of appropriate precautions for residents with respiratory symptoms. For three residents who exhibited symptoms such as fever, cough, myalgia, and were diagnosed with influenza, the surveillance forms did not indicate whether any infection control precautions were implemented, what type of precautions were used, or when these precautions were started or ended. Progress notes for these residents also lacked clear documentation regarding the initiation and duration of quarantine or isolation measures, despite ongoing symptoms and confirmed influenza diagnoses. Additionally, the facility did not adequately monitor or enforce return-to-work protocols for staff members who reported illness. Two staff members called in with symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea, and fever, but the documentation did not consistently include illness forms or appropriate clearance by a licensed nurse before returning to work. In one case, a staff member returned to work the day after reporting gastroenteritis symptoms, contrary to recommended guidelines, and there was no evidence of follow-up or assessment prior to their return. The facility also failed to complete required tuberculosis (TB) screening for one resident. Although a TB skin test was administered upon admission, the results were not read, and a baseline symptom screening was not completed prior to testing. A second TB skin test was later administered and read with a negative result, but the initial lapse in protocol was confirmed by the DON, who acknowledged the oversight in both reading the test and completing the symptom screening.