Environmental Hazards and Unattended Syringe Identified on Two Nursing Units
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified multiple deficiencies related to environmental safety and supervision on two of four nursing units. On the first floor, the inside door handle to the stairwell was missing, leaving a sharp-edged opening that required individuals to reach into the hole to open the door, creating a potential hazard. In a resident room, the walk-in shower had a lower floor that posed a fall risk for confused residents, and the shower drain was missing its cover, exposing a sharp edge and open pipe that residents were filling with debris. Additionally, the bathroom sink in the same room was detached from the wall and placed on the floor, creating a tripping hazard for ambulatory, confused residents. Further observations revealed a hypodermic syringe left unattended on top of a medication cart in the main hallway between the nurse's station and the stairwell, with no nurse in sight. The DON was present nearby but not attending to the cart, and upon being questioned, confirmed that the insulin syringe should not have been left unattended. Facility policy requires that medication carts be closed and locked when out of the nurse's sight and that no medications be left on top of the cart. These findings were confirmed through staff interviews and direct observation.