Failure to Maintain Infection Control During Meal and Medication Passes
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain an effective infection prevention and control program, as evidenced by multiple observations during meal and medication passes. During several meal services, food and beverages such as lemonade, milk, juice, soup, and cold cereal were transported and delivered to residents while uncovered, exposing them to potential environmental contaminants. Additionally, a dietary aide was observed returning to a resident's room with uncovered drinks, and water condensate from a milk bottle was observed splashing into a resident's soup. These actions occurred repeatedly during both breakfast and lunch meal services in the resident hallways. During medication administration, a registered nurse was observed placing her bare thumb inside medication cups before placing medications in them and administering them to residents. This practice was repeated for multiple residents during the morning medication pass. Both the nurse and the Director of Nursing acknowledged during interviews that touching the inside of medication cups with bare hands is not sanitary and should not occur. These observations demonstrate a lack of adherence to basic infection control protocols during both meal and medication administration.