Failure to Label and Date Enteral Feeding Syringes
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that enteral feeding syringes in use were labeled and dated, and did not provide direction on the maximum time such syringes may remain in service. Observation revealed a 60 mL enteral syringe used for a resident's PEG tube was found on the room windowsill with a clear plastic bag beneath it containing tan residue; neither the syringe nor the bag was labeled or dated. Staff confirmed the syringe was opened but not labeled or dated. Review of the facility's policy showed it did not address labeling, dating, rinsing, or disposal timeframes for enteral syringes, despite staff and administration stating that syringes should be labeled and dated. The resident involved had diagnoses including dysphagia and non-traumatic intracerebral hemorrhage, and required a PEG tube for continuous enteral feeding. Physician orders directed staff to check PEG placement prior to each use and to administer water before and after medications. The lack of labeling and dating of the enteral syringe, as well as the absence of clear policy guidance on the handling and disposal of these syringes, constituted the deficiency identified during the survey.