Failure to Properly Store Nebulizer Breathing Mask
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency was identified when a resident with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was observed to have a nebulizer breathing mask left unbagged on a shelf in his room when not in use. The resident, who was cognitively intact and had physician orders for as-needed nebulizer treatments, stated he would use the breathing treatment if experiencing shortness of breath but could not recall the last time it was used. During the observation, the mask was not stored in a clean plastic bag as required for infection control. Interviews with nursing staff, including an LVN, the ADON, and the DON, confirmed that the expectation was for breathing masks to be bagged when not in use to prevent contamination and infection. The LVN admitted she had not noticed the unbagged mask during her morning rounds and was unsure when it was last used. The facility's policy on oxygen administration included goals for safe delivery and infection prevention, but a specific policy on bagging the breathing mask was not provided at the time of the survey.