F0689

E

Overfilled Sharps Containers in Multiple Resident Rooms

Allen, Texas Survey Completed on 01-20-2026

Penalty

No penalty information released

Summary

Surveyors identified a deficiency in the facility’s management of sharps containers in resident rooms. During observations on 01/20/26 between 10:00 AM and 11:00 AM, all resident rooms were noted to have sharps containers mounted by the door. In nine occupied rooms (104, 105, 108, 209, 212, 306, 307, and 312), the sharps containers were filled past the marked fill line to the extent that the security flap could not operate. Record review of the facility’s “Sharps Disposal” policy dated January 2012 showed that designated individuals were responsible for sealing and replacing containers when they were 75% to 80% full to protect employees from punctures and/or needlesticks when attempting to push sharps into the container.

In interviews, an LVN stated that nurses were responsible for replacing sharps containers when they reached the fill line and acknowledged that overfilling created a risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens from used needles. The ADON stated that nurses were responsible for changing out sharps containers, and that all staff were responsible for monitoring the boxes and alerting a nurse when a change was needed; the ADON also stated that an overfilled container posed a risk of exposure to used needles that could cause infection from pathogens. The DON reported she was not aware that sharps containers were overfilled and stated that both nurses and housekeeping had keys and could change out a full box, and that the risk of an overfilled container was bloodborne pathogen exposure from a used needle.