Failure to Adhere to PPE Protocols for Resident on Droplet Precautions
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to maintain an effective infection prevention and control program, as evidenced by staff not adhering to established protocols for personal protective equipment (PPE) when caring for a resident on droplet precautions due to a parainfluenza infection. Specifically, a Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA) entered the resident's room without any PPE and began therapy exercises, despite the resident being on droplet precautions. The Registered Nurse (RN) was also observed entering the room without donning a face mask prior to entry, instead applying it while already inside the room. Additionally, the PTA exited the room and walked down the hallway without performing proper hand hygiene or removing the face mask, further deviating from infection control policies. The resident involved had multiple diagnoses, including metabolic encephalopathy, polyneuropathy, diabetes mellitus type 2, an unspecified bacterial infection, and heart failure, and had recently tested positive for parainfluenza 3 virus. Facility policies required that appropriate PPE be worn before entering rooms of residents on transmission-based precautions and that PPE be doffed and hand hygiene performed before leaving the area. Both the PTA and RN failed to follow these protocols, as confirmed by direct observation and staff interviews, resulting in a deficiency related to infection control practices.