F0880

E

Infection Control Failures in Wound Care and PPE Use

Sterling, Illinois Survey Completed on 12-18-2025

Penalty

No penalty information released

Summary

Surveyors identified deficiencies in the facility’s infection prevention and control practices related to wound care and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for multiple residents. For one resident with a stage 4 sacral pressure injury and a separate pressure injury to the coccyx, the wound care nurse cleansed and treated both wounds using the same gauze pad and the same sequence of products, and then covered both wounds with a single bordered foam dressing. The nurse confirmed that the sacral and coccyx wounds were considered two separate wounds that were measured and assessed individually, yet she routinely cleansed and treated both areas at the same time. The Assistant Director of Nursing and Infection Preventionist later stated that when a resident has multiple wounds, each wound should be cleansed, treated, and covered individually, starting with the cleanest to the dirtiest wound to avoid cross contamination and prevent infection. The facility’s wound treatment management policy stated that wound treatments would be provided in accordance with physician orders and current standards of practice.

Additional deficiencies were observed in wound care and PPE use for another resident receiving multiple dressing changes. An LPN performed a dressing change on a leg wound wearing gloves but no gown, removed the soiled dressing, cleansed the wound, applied skin prep, and completed the treatment without changing gloves at any point. He then acknowledged he should have worn a gown. For the same resident’s subsequent wounds on the upper back and lower buttocks, the LPN donned a gown and gloves but again failed to change gloves between removing soiled dressings, cleansing wounds, applying skin prep, repositioning the resident, handling supplies, and repacking a wound. The facility’s PPE policy required changing gloves and performing hand hygiene between clean and dirty tasks, when moving from one body part to another, and wearing gowns to protect exposed body areas and clothing from contamination with blood, body fluids, and other potentially infectious material.

Surveyors also found failures to follow enhanced barrier precautions and contact isolation requirements. For a resident on enhanced barrier precautions due to skin integrity issues and a diabetic foot ulcer, the wound nurse performed a dressing change and treatment to the diabetic foot ulcer wearing only gloves and no gown, despite an enhanced barrier precautions sign on the door specifying that gowns and gloves must be worn for high-contact care activities including wound care for any skin opening requiring a dressing. For another resident on contact isolation for an ESBL infection in a right lower extremity wound, a sign on the door instructed staff to wear gowns and gloves before room entry. A CNA entered the room twice to drop off bed sheets without wearing a gown or gloves, and the resident’s right lower leg dressing did not fully cover the toes, leaving a bleeding toe exposed. While one staff member stated gowns and gloves were only necessary for direct care, the Infection Preventionist stated that staff must wear gowns and gloves before entering the room, consistent with the facility’s transmission-based precautions policy requiring gown and glove use for contact precautions when interacting with the resident or potentially contaminated areas in the resident’s environment.

The report also documented that the wound nurse who performed the wound care for the resident with sacral and coccyx pressure injuries did not have a current nursing license at the time of the survey. A license verification printout provided by the facility showed that this nurse’s license status was "not renewed," with an expiration date earlier in the year. This issue was cited separately under a different regulatory reference.