Failure to Disinfect Glucometer Between Resident Uses
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency was identified when a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) failed to clean and disinfect a glucometer between uses on two residents during medication administration. Observation revealed that after checking the blood sugar of one resident, the LPN proceeded to use the same glucometer on another resident without cleaning it in between. The LPN confirmed during an interview that the glucometer was not cleaned between uses and stated that the usual practice was to clean equipment after completing the medication round, but cleaning supplies were not available on the cart that day. The Director of Nursing (DON) confirmed that the facility's expectation was to clean and disinfect multi-use items, such as glucometers, between each use. Review of the facility's policy and CDC guidance both supported the requirement for cleaning and disinfecting reusable equipment after each use. The facility identified a total of seven residents who received blood glucose monitoring with the shared glucometer in the affected area.