Failure to Follow Infection Control Practices During Blood Glucose Monitoring
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to properly clean and disinfect an individually assigned glucometer according to the manufacturer's recommendations and did not follow its own infection control policy regarding glove use during blood glucose monitoring. Specifically, a nurse used alcohol-based hand disinfectant wipes, which were not listed as an approved disinfectant by the glucometer manufacturer, instead of the required Super Sani-cloth Germicidal disposable wipes that were available on the medication cart. The nurse was unaware of the manufacturer's specific disinfection instructions and believed the hand disinfectant wipes were sufficient. Additionally, the nurse performed a blood glucose check on a resident while wearing a torn glove, contrary to the facility's policy that requires gloves to be changed if torn or damaged. The torn glove was used throughout the procedure, including when obtaining a new test strip and performing a second blood glucose check after an initial error. The nurse was not aware that her glove was torn during the procedure. The Director of Nursing confirmed that the expectation was for intact gloves to be used and for the manufacturer's disinfection instructions to be followed.