Failure to Follow Enhanced Barrier Precautions During Environmental Cleaning
Penalty
Summary
A housekeeper failed to follow required infection control practices while cleaning the room of a resident who was admitted with a stage 4 pressure ulcer to the sacrum. The resident had been placed on Enhanced Barrier Precautions (EBP) due to the presence of a chronic wound, as indicated by a physician order and signage outside the room. During an observation, the housekeeper was seen cleaning the resident's room without wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), specifically a gown, despite being aware of the EBP status. Interviews with a licensed nurse and the Director of Staff Development confirmed that the housekeeper did not adhere to the facility's policy, which requires environmental services personnel to use gloves and gowns when cleaning and disinfecting the environment around residents on EBP. The facility's policy, revised in October 2024, specifically states that gown and gloves must be used when cleaning high-touch surfaces in the rooms of residents on EBP, such as those with chronic wounds.