Failure to Follow Infection Control Practices for Catheter Care and Meal Service
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure proper infection control practices for a resident with a Foley catheter and during meal service observations. For a resident with a suprapubic catheter, observation revealed that the urinary drainage bag was lying directly on the floor under the resident's recliner, with no barrier present, despite facility policy and care plan instructions requiring the bag to be secured in a basin or opaque bag and never placed on the floor. Staff interviews confirmed that the expectation was for the drainage bag to be covered and off the floor, and the facility's written procedure reiterated this requirement. During meal service, staff were observed failing to perform appropriate hand hygiene. One staff member touched residents' arms and wheelchairs while passing meal trays and then assisted a resident with food without performing hand hygiene or wearing gloves. Another dietary staff member, while wearing gloves, touched his face and then handled a resident's sandwich without changing gloves or performing hand hygiene. The infection preventionist confirmed that hand hygiene should be performed before contact with food items and after touching contaminated surfaces, and that gloves should be changed as per policy. Facility policy on hand hygiene outlined specific indications for hand hygiene, including before and after resident contact and after contact with inanimate surfaces.