Failure to Perform Hand Hygiene During Meal Service
Penalty
Summary
Staff on the 500 Hall were observed distributing and serving food trays to residents without performing hand hygiene between residents. Specifically, two CNAs were seen passing food trays, touching residents' doors, setting up trays, and moving the food cart without cleaning their hands between each resident. Both CNAs were new to the facility and reported having received hand hygiene training during orientation, but admitted to forgetting to perform hand hygiene during meal service. Interviews with additional staff, including an LVN, another CNA, and the DON, confirmed that facility policy requires hand hygiene before and after assisting residents with meals. The LVN and DON both acknowledged that failure to perform hand hygiene when serving food constitutes an infection control issue. Review of the facility's hand hygiene policy also indicated that hand hygiene is required before and after assisting a resident with meals.