Failure to Follow Enhanced Barrier Precautions During Wound Care
Penalty
Summary
Facility staff failed to follow Enhanced Barrier Precautions (EBP) during wound care for a resident with a left heel wound. The resident had a practitioner order for wound treatment, and the facility's EBP policy required the use of gowns and gloves for residents with wounds, regardless of known infection or colonization status. During an observed wound care procedure, an LPN performed hand hygiene and donned gloves but did not wear a gown at any point while providing care, including when removing soiled dressings and cleaning the wound. The LPN confirmed during an interview that a gown should have been worn during the procedure. The facility's EBP policy, revised in March 2024, specifically states that PPE, including gowns and gloves, must be worn during high-contact resident activities such as wound care. The failure to don a gown during the wound care procedure constituted noncompliance with the facility's infection prevention and control program.