Failure to Follow Infection Control Protocol During Wound Care
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency was identified when a nurse failed to follow the facility's infection prevention and control policy during a wound dressing change for a resident with chronic wounds on the posterior left thigh and bilateral buttocks. The facility's policy required sanitizing the overbed table, placing a barrier before setting up supplies, and performing hand hygiene and glove changes between steps of the dressing change. However, the nurse placed supplies directly on the bedside table without sanitizing it or using a barrier, and did not change gloves or perform hand hygiene between removing the soiled dressing, cleansing the wound, and applying the new dressing. The resident's medical record included physician orders for specific wound care and a care plan addressing impaired skin integrity. During the observed dressing change, the nurse removed soiled dressings, cleansed the wounds, and applied new dressings without following the required infection control steps. An administrative nurse confirmed that proper infection control practices were not followed during this procedure.