Failure to Properly Dispose of Medical Waste According to Facility Policy
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when standard infection prevention and control practices were not followed during the disposal of medical waste. During wound care for a resident with a sacral wound that was bleeding profusely, an LVN discarded soiled dressings and blood-saturated gauze into a clear plastic bag, which was then placed in a separate black bin rather than in a designated medical waste container. The LVN stated that the resident had previously been on contact isolation for a stage four pressure ulcer, but the isolation had been discontinued two days prior. The Infection Control Nurse (IPN) confirmed that no red bags were used for disposing of the medical waste, citing the discontinuation of contact isolation as the reason, and stated that the facility did not have color-coded bins or containers for hazardous or medical waste. A review of the facility's policy and procedure on medical waste handling indicated that items soiled with visible blood must be placed in red plastic bags or containers, and either saturated with a bleach solution or incinerated. Despite this policy, the IPN acknowledged that the facility lacked the required color-coded bins for proper disposal of medical waste. The failure to follow the facility's own policy and procedure for the safe and appropriate handling of medical waste was observed and confirmed through staff interviews and record review.