Failure to Follow Contact Precautions and Hand Hygiene for C. diff Resident
Penalty
Summary
A certified nursing assistant (CNA) failed to follow established infection prevention and control protocols for a resident diagnosed with enterocolitis due to Clostridioides difficile (C. diff), who was on contact/enteric precautions. Facility policy required staff to wear gloves and a gown upon entering the resident's room, perform hand hygiene with soap and water before and after glove use, and encourage or assist the resident with hand hygiene. During observation, the CNA entered the resident's room, donned gloves but did not wear a gown, and assisted the resident with a pivot transfer and toileting. The CNA did not perform hand hygiene after glove removal, instead using hand sanitizer, and did not encourage or assist the resident with hand hygiene as required by policy. The resident, who was independently able to complete toileting cares, was assisted by the CNA in transferring and ambulating within the room. The CNA failed to adhere to the facility's infection control policies regarding the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and proper hand hygiene, specifically in the context of C. diff precautions, which require handwashing with soap and water. These actions were confirmed through observation, record review, and staff interview, indicating a lapse in following infection control standards for residents on contact precautions.