Failure to Follow Hand Hygiene Protocols During Medication Administration
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure proper hand hygiene practices were followed during medication administration for six of nine residents observed. According to facility policy, staff are required to sanitize their hands before preparing or handling medications and after glove removal. During a medication pass, an LPN was observed preparing and administering medications to multiple residents consecutively without sanitizing his hands between residents or after removing gloves. This included preparing and administering medications to several residents in succession without following hand hygiene protocols. Interviews with the LPN and the Infection Control Nurse confirmed that the required hand sanitizing procedures were not followed during these medication passes.