Failure to Sanitize and Properly Store Used Oxygen Concentrators
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to adhere to its infection control policy regarding the cleaning and disinfection of reusable medical devices, specifically oxygen concentrators. During an observation in the supply room, five oxygen concentrators that had been used by residents were found not sanitized and not covered with plastic, as required by facility policy. These devices were stored in the same area as clean supplies, and staff interviews confirmed that the concentrators were awaiting pickup by a hospice company and had not been disinfected or separated from clean items. Staff, including an LVN, the infection preventionist, and the assistant director of nursing, acknowledged that the used concentrators were not sanitized and that there was no separate storage area for them. The facility's policy, reviewed on 4/30/25, requires that reusable items such as oxygen concentrators be cleaned and disinfected between residents, then covered and stored in a designated location. The failure to follow these procedures resulted in unsanitized equipment being stored with clean supplies, contrary to established infection control protocols.