F0880

D

Failure to Perform Hand Hygiene and Sanitize Blood Pressure Cuff During Medication Pass

Richardson, Texas Survey Completed on 01-07-2026

Penalty

No penalty information released

Summary

The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to maintain an effective infection prevention and control program during medication administration and vital sign monitoring. On 01/07/26 at 10:18 AM, surveyors observed Med Aide B check a resident’s blood pressure using a wrist blood pressure cuff without sanitizing the cuff and without performing hand hygiene before the procedure. After use, Med Aide B placed the wrist blood pressure cuff on top of the medication cart without sanitizing it and did not wash or sanitize hands before administering the resident’s medications. The facility’s policy, Fundamentals of Infection Control Precautions, states that hand hygiene is the primary means of preventing transmission of infection and is required before and after direct resident contact and upon and after contact with a resident’s intact skin, including when taking blood pressure.

During an interview at 10:30 AM on the same day, Med Aide B acknowledged that he should have washed or sanitized his hands prior to taking the resident’s blood pressure and before and after administering medications, and stated there was no hand sanitizer on or in the medication cart, which he cited as the reason for not sanitizing his hands. He further stated he should have performed hand hygiene to prevent cross contamination and infection. At 10:40 AM, the DON confirmed that Med Aide B was expected to wash or sanitize his hands prior to checking blood pressure, prior to administering medications, and after medication administration, and that the blood pressure cuff should be sanitized before resident use and before being returned to the medication cart. Review of Med Aide B’s Medication/Administration Competency, dated 06/08/25, showed that his training included proper hand hygiene and correct timing of medication administration.