Failure to Perform Hand Hygiene Before and After Resident Contact
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency was identified when a central supply staff member entered a resident's room without performing hand hygiene, touched the resident's bedding and clothing, and then exited the room without performing hand hygiene. This was observed during a concurrent observation and interview, where the staff member stated they were attempting to help identify the resident's name. The facility's policy and procedure on hand hygiene, dated 9/1/2020, requires staff to perform hand hygiene immediately upon entering and exiting a resident's room. The resident involved had a history of psychosis, dementia, and schizophrenia, with documentation indicating fluctuating capacity to understand and make decisions, and moderately impaired cognition. The resident required substantial to maximum assistance from staff for activities such as toileting, showering, and lower body dressing. The Director of Nursing confirmed during an interview that hand hygiene should be performed before and after touching residents, their clothing, or linen.