Failure to Follow Infection Control Practices During Medication Administration
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure safe infection control practices during medication administration for two residents. In one instance, an LPN dropped a syringe on the floor while preparing to administer medication to a resident with chronic kidney disease and diabetes, then picked up the contaminated syringe and proceeded to use it to administer the medication. The resident was cognitively intact at the time of the incident. The Director of Nursing later confirmed that staff should have disposed of the contaminated syringe and used a new one. In another instance, an RN used a stethoscope on a resident with dementia, a gastrostomy tube, dysphagia, and anxiety to administer medication via PEG tube, but failed to disinfect the stethoscope after use. The Infection Control Preventionist confirmed that reusable equipment, such as stethoscopes, should be cleaned with germicidal wipes after each use. These actions were not in accordance with the facility's infection prevention and control policies, which require proper cleaning and disinfection of reusable items between residents.