Failure to Prevent Cross Contamination and Maintain Infection Control Surveillance
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to prevent potential cross contamination in one of three medication refrigerators by allowing an eight-ounce container of milk to be stored in the 2B Nurses Station medication refrigerator, as confirmed by an LPN. This action was not in accordance with the facility's policy, which prohibits food storage in areas designated for medications and biologicals. Additionally, the facility did not implement proper infection control practices during a dressing change for a resident with diagnoses including high blood pressure, COPD, and hypothyroidism. During the dressing change, the LPN did not cleanse the resident's bedside table before setting up the clean field, used gloves stored in her scrub pocket, failed to place a clean field between the resident's wound and bed linens, and did not perform hand hygiene or change gloves between critical steps of the procedure. The bedside table was also not cleansed after the procedure. Furthermore, the facility failed to maintain an infection control program that included consistent surveillance for communicable diseases or infections. Review of infection control documentation revealed that surveillance for tracking resident infections was not conducted for four months within an eleven-month period. The Infection Preventionist confirmed the absence of surveillance for these months, indicating a lapse in the facility's infection prevention and control program.