Inadequate Infection Control During Enteral Tube Medication Administration
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves a failure to maintain proper infection control practices during enteral tube medication administration for one resident. The resident had multiple diagnoses, including Parkinson's disease, COPD, anemia, hypothyroidism, gastrostomy, major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, hallucinations, schizoaffective disorder, adult failure to thrive, and dementia. An Annual MDS assessment documented that the resident had severely impaired cognition and a feeding tube. During a medication pass, an LPN entered the resident’s room, retrieved a graduated container and syringe from the bedside table, and used them to prepare and administer tube feed medications. Surveyor observation showed that the syringe was stored inside the graduate on the bedside table without a bag or date, and the bedside table surface was visibly dirty. The LPN took the graduate and syringe to the bathroom, filled the graduate with 500 ml, then returned and placed the cup with medication and syringe directly on the visibly dirty bedside table without placing a barrier. She then proceeded to administer the medication using the syringe. In a subsequent interview, the LPN confirmed that she had set the syringe directly on the visibly dirty bedside table without a barrier. The Regional Clinical Nurse later verified that a barrier should have been placed on the bedside table prior to placing the syringe there. Facility policy on enteral tube medication administration stated that medications were to be administered through an enteral feeding tube as prescribed and in accordance with current clinical standards of practice.
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