Failure to Clean Reusable Equipment During Wound Care
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when LVN A failed to properly clean scissors before and after use during wound care treatments for a male resident with diabetes, a diabetic wound on the right heel, and a post-surgical wound on the right plantar foot. The LVN used the scissors to cut open wound care supplies and to remove gauze from the resident's wounds without cleaning the scissors before or after use. The unclean scissors were then placed back on the treatment cart and returned to the drawer without being sanitized. This was observed during a wound care procedure, and the LVN acknowledged not cleaning the scissors, stating she believed they were already clean and admitted to being nervous about completing the treatments correctly. The facility's policy and the DON's statements confirmed that all reusable equipment, including scissors, should be cleaned before and after use on residents. The DON also indicated that infection control in-services had been provided, and records showed that LVN A had attended a recent in-service on infection control and equipment cleaning. Despite this, the required cleaning protocol was not followed during the observed treatment, resulting in a failure to maintain the facility's infection prevention and control program.