Improper Storage and Cleaning of Respiratory Equipment
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified that the facility failed to provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for three residents who required respiratory equipment, including a nebulizer, CPAP, and oxygen via nasal cannula. For one resident, a nebulizer mask and tubing were found stored unbagged and undated inside a bedside table drawer, in direct contact with the drawer's base. The resident confirmed receiving nebulizer treatments twice daily. A nurse verified that the nebulizer equipment should have been properly bagged and dated, but it was not. Another resident's nasal cannula tubing was observed placed on top of the oxygen concentrator and not stored in a set-up bag when not in use, which was also confirmed by nursing staff as not meeting facility policy. Additionally, a third resident's CPAP mask was found on the nightstand without a set-up bag for storage when not in use. Review of the resident's care plan and facility policy indicated that the CPAP mask, tubing, and related equipment should be cleaned regularly, but there was no documented evidence of cleaning in the medical record. Nursing staff were unsure about cleaning procedures and stated there was no order for cleaning the CPAP equipment. These observations and interviews confirmed that the facility did not follow its own policies and procedures for the storage and cleaning of respiratory care equipment for these residents.