Failure to Properly Store Respiratory Equipment
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident with chronic respiratory failure who required multiple respiratory devices, including a sleep apnea mask, nebulizer mask, and nasal cannula. On the date of observation, all three respiratory devices were found unbagged and not properly stored when not in use, contrary to professional standards of practice and the facility's own policy. The resident's care plan included oxygen therapy, and physician orders specified the use of oxygen, nebulizer treatments, and BiPAP/CPAP at night. During observations and interviews, the DON and an RN confirmed that all breathing devices should have been bagged when not in use to prevent infection. The failure to properly store these respiratory devices was directly observed and acknowledged by facility staff. The resident involved had an intact cognitive status and a diagnosis of chronic respiratory failure, requiring consistent adherence to respiratory care protocols.