Failure to Follow Infection Control Practices During Wound Care and PPE Use
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure proper infection control practices were followed as outlined in its own policies and procedures. During wound care for a resident with a stage four pressure injury, an LVN did not wear a gown as required under Enhanced Barrier Precautions (EBP), despite signage and supplies being available at the resident's door. The LVN confirmed awareness that the resident was on EBP for a wound but still did not don the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) during the procedure. In a separate incident, another LVN was observed wearing PPE in the hallway after preparing to enter a resident's room under COVID-19 isolation but did not enter the room, instead proceeding to the medication room while still wearing PPE. Facility policy specifies that gowns and gloves should not be routinely worn in the hallway and should only be donned immediately before high-contact care tasks. Both the Infection Preventionist and the Administrator confirmed these observations and acknowledged that the correct infection control practices were not followed.