F0880

E

Improper Group Storage of Toothbrushes Causing Unsanitary Conditions

Angleton, Texas Survey Completed on 01-13-2026

Penalty

No penalty information released

Summary

The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to maintain a safe, clean, and sanitary environment by improperly storing multiple residents’ toothbrushes together. Record review showed a resident statement reporting dirty and unsanitary conditions, including all residents’ toothbrushes being kept together in a single cup. During an observation on 01/13/2026 at 9:10 a.m., surveyors observed a plastic cup on a shared bathroom countertop used by four residents, containing four visibly used toothbrushes stored together with the bristle heads touching. A subsequent observation at 9:15 a.m. revealed that the toothbrushes were dirty, and the bristles of one toothbrush were worn down to the handle.

During an interview at 9:25 a.m., CNA #1 confirmed the toothbrushes belonged to four different residents and acknowledged they were stored together to keep them in one place, despite stating that toothbrushes should be kept in individual plastic zip lock bags labeled with each resident’s name. CNA #1 also stated that storing toothbrushes together in one cup could cause residents to get sick or infected. At 10:00 a.m., an LVN stated that although the residents shared the bathroom, each should have individual, sanitary storage for personal hygiene items and agreed that storing toothbrushes together in one cup could cause infection or illness. At 11:30 a.m., the DON stated that storing four residents’ toothbrushes in one cup with bristle-to-bristle contact failed to ensure a sanitary environment and increased the risk of bacterial transfer among residents, and also acknowledged there was no policy or procedure for storing residents’ personal hygiene items.