Failure to Perform Hand Hygiene During Resident Feeding
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency was identified when a certified nursing assistant (CNA) failed to perform proper hand hygiene while feeding a resident. During an observation, the CNA was seen texting on her cellphone while feeding the resident and did not use hand sanitizer before resuming assistance. The CNA later confirmed in an interview that she did not typically use her phone during feeding and acknowledged she did not sanitize her hands after using her phone before assisting the resident. The resident involved was a male with multiple diagnoses, including dementia, muscle wasting and atrophy, protein-calorie malnutrition, dysphagia, hypertensive heart disease, cerebral atherosclerosis, constipation, pain, muscle weakness, and benign prostatic hyperplasia. Facility policy required staff to use alcohol-based hand cleaner or soap and water before and after assisting a resident with meals, and staff were not permitted to use phones while feeding residents. The Director of Nursing confirmed that staff were expected to follow these protocols.