Lack of Qualified and Dedicated Infection Preventionist
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure there was a designated and qualified Infection Preventionist (IP) responsible for the Infection Prevention and Control Program, placing residents at risk for unmet infection control issues or care needs. During an interview, the Director of Nursing Services stated that a registered nurse had been assigned the IP role since December 2025 but was unable to provide any information on the facility’s Infection Prevention and Control Program. In a separate interview, the RN reported they were assigned dual roles as Wound Care Nurse and IP, had only recently graduated from nursing school with no infection control experience beyond their schooling, were working over 40 hours per week on wound care, and were therefore unable to dedicate the required 20 hours per week to the IP role. The RN also stated they had not begun the IP certification program. No specific residents or their medical histories were identified in the report, but the deficiency was cited under F880, Infection Control, with reference to WAC 388-97-1620(2)(b)(i)(ii).
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