Finding Description
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observations, staff interviews, record review, review of manufacturer instructions, review of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance, and review of the facility policies, the facility failed to maintain infection control practices while administering medications to the residents, completing hand hygiene when providing care to the residents, donning proper personal protective equipment (PPE) and completing proper hand hygiene for residents on Enhanced Barrier Precautions (EBP) for indwelling devices, and disinfecting a glucometer between use for Residents #4 and #5. This affected six residents (#4, #5, #34, #37, #40, and #47) observed for infection control. The facility census was 51.Findings include:1. Observation of medication administration and staff interview on 12/09/25 at 10:28 A.M. revealed after Registered Nurse (RN) #221 exited Resident #34's room, RN #221 did not wash his hands or use hand sanitizer. RN #221 returned to the medication cart and prepared Resident #40's insulin injections, Basaglar kwikpen and admelog solostar for administration. RN #221 re-entered Resident #40's room, placed gloves on (did not wash hands or use hand sanitizer prior to glove use) then administered the insulin injections to Resident #40. RN #221 then exited the room with the same gloves and returned to the medication cart, placed the used insulin syringes on top the cart, removed his gloves then put insulin pens back in the medication drawer without washing his hands or using hand sanitizer. RN #221 confirmed all the above findings. 2. Record review for Resident #47 revealed an admission date of 10/23/25. Diagnoses included retention of urine. Review of the admission Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessment dated [DATE] revealed Resident #47 was severely cognitively impaired and had an indwelling catheter. Review of the care plan for Resident #47 revealed Resident had a need for indwelling catheter related to urinary retention. Interventions included catheter bag to be emptied every shift.Observation on 12/09/25 at 10:46 A.M. revealed Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) #217 entered Resident #47's room. There was signage on Resident #47's door for EBP. CNA #217 did not don an isolation gown, placed gloves on and did not wash or sanitize her hands prior to glove use. CNA #217 proceeded to empty Resident #47's indwelling catheter bag of urine. CNA #217 then exited Resident $47's room without washing or sanitizing her hands. CNA #217 then entered Resident #37's room. Interview on 12/09/25 at 11:12 A.M. with CNA #217 confirmed she did not wash her hands or use hand sanitizer before or after providing care for Resident #47 and confirmed she never donned an isolation gown before providing catheter care for Resident #47.3. Record review for Resident #37 revealed an admission date of 11/05/21. Diagnoses included acute and chronic respiratory failure and hemiplegia and hemiparesis following cerebral infarction affecting right dominant side.Review of the significant change in status Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessment dated [DATE] revealed Resident #37 was severely cognitively impaired. Review of the physician orders for Resident #37 revealed an order dated 11/23/25 for indwelling catheter care every shift and as needed. Review of the care plan dated 12/03/25 revealed Resident #37 had a need for a indwelling catheter. Interventions included EBP.Observation on 12/09/25 at 10:53 A.M. revealed Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) #217 entered Resident #37's room. There was signage on Resident #37's door for EBP. CNA #217 did not don an isolation gown, placed gloves on and did not wash or sanitize her hands prior to glove use. CNA #217 removed Resident #37's brief and initiated catheter care. Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) #219 entered the room, placed gloves on, no gown, then assessed Resident #37's peri area for skin breakdown. LPN #219 touched several areas of Resident #37's peri area while assessing skin breakdown. CNA #217 completed catheter care. LPN #219 then used hand sanitizer and exited the room. CNA #246 entered the room to assist to turn Resident #37 for incontinence care and instructed CNA #217 to place an isolation gown on.Interview on 12/09/25 at 11:12 A.M. with CNA #217 confirmed she did not wash her hands or use hand sanitizer before or after providing care for Resident #37 and confirmed she never donned an isolation gown before providing catheter care for Resident #37.4. Observation and interview on 12/09/25 at 11:15 A.M. revealed Medication Technician (MT) #223 was going to complete blood sugar assessment via fingerstick glucometer for two residents, Residents #4 and #5. MT #223 removed the glucometer from the top drawer of the medication cart and there was one glucometer and MT #223 confirmed she utilized the same glucometer for Residents #4 and #5. MT #223 obtained the glucometer, two glucometer strips several alcohol wipes and two lancets. MT #223 never cleaned the glucometer prior to use. MT #223 gathered the supplies and entered Resident #4's room, applied gloves and assessed Resident #4's blood sugar via fingerstick. MT #223 then exited the room without removing her gloves, cleansing her hands or the glucometer. On 12/08/25 at 11:22 A.M., MT #223 then entered Resident #5's room removed her gloves, applied hand sanitizer and new gloves. MT #223 did not clean the glucometer after use for Resident #4 or before use for Resident #5. MT #223 assessed Resident #5's blood sugar via fingerstick, removed the gloves and returned to the medication cart placing the glucometer on top the cart then washed her hands. MT #223 then returned to the cart and placed the glucometer in the top drawer of the medication cart without cleaning the glucometer. MT #223 confirmed she did not clean the glucometer and revealed every day she worked, she cleaned the glucometer at the beginning of her shift only and confirmed she assessed both Resident #4 and #5's blood sugar before lunch and dinner using the same glucometer. MT #223 revealed in the morning when she cleaned the glucometer, she used an alcohol pad to clean it. MT #223 confirmed she did not remove her gloves or clean her hands after exiting Resident #4's room or before entering Resident #5's room.Interview on 12/09/25 at 11:56 A.M. with the Director of Nursing (DON) revealed if giving care to a resident who had wounds, catheters, ports or tubes, the staff must wear personal protective equipment which included a gown and gloves and revealed glucometers were to be cleaned between each use and the staff were to use super-sani cloths. Review of the container of super-sani cloths provided by the DON revealed manufacturers' instruction for use which included for may be used on hard nonporous surfaces including blood meters. If present, use a wipe to remove visible soil prior to disinfecting. Once the visible soil was removed, unfold a clean wipe and thoroughly wet surface. Allow surface to remain wet for two minutes, let air dry.Interview on 12/11/25 at 10:20 A.M. with DON revealed staff were required to wash their hands before and after providing care for a resident.The DON confirmed staff were assigned on different days in different areas of the facility and were expected to help each other when needed throughout the facility.Review of the facility policy titled Hand Hygiene dated 09/01/22 revealed hand hygiene will be properly performed to assist in the prevention of spreading infections.Review of the facility policy titled Enhanced Barrier Precautions (EBP) dated 01/2024 revealed EBP are an infection control method used in the facility to reduce transmission of drug-resistant organisms (MDROs). EBP refer to the use of gown and gloves during high contact care activities for residents with any of the following:1. Known infection or colonization with a resistant organism2. Chronic wounds3. Indwelling medical devices including central lines, hemodialysis catheter, urinary catheter, feeding tube, and tracheostomy.4. The high-contact resident care activities include dressing, bathing, transferring, providing hygiene, changing linens, changing briefs or assisting with toileting, caring for an indwelling medical device, and performing wound care.Review of the CDC's guidance titled Considerations for Blood Glucose Monitoring and Insulin Administration dated 08/07/24 and found at https://www.cdc.gov/injection-safety/hcp/infection-control/index.html revealed one of the key points was to assign blood glucose meters to a person unless the device is assigned for use in professional settings and is cleaned and disinfected after every use. The summary of recommendations included to clean and disinfect blood glucose meters after every use, per the manufacturer's instructions.Review of CDC guidance titled Implementation of PPE Use in Nursing Homes to Prevent Spread of Multidrug-resistant Organisms (MDROs) found at https://www.cdc.gov/long-term-care-facilities/hcp/prevent-mdro/PPE.html and dated 04/02/24 revealed MDRO transmission is common in skilled nursing facilities, contributing to substantial resident morbidity and mortality and increased healthcare costs. EBP is an infection control intervention designed to reduce transmission of resistant organisms that employs targeted gown and glove use during high contact resident care activities. EBP may be indicated for residents with any of the following: wounds or indwelling medical devices, regardless of MDRO colonization status. Review of CDC guidance titled Clinical Safety: Hand Hygiene for Healthcare Workers found at https://www.cdc.gov/clean-hands/hcp/clinical-safety/index.html and dated 02/27/24 revealed hand hygiene protects both healthcare personnel and patients. Cleaning your hands reduces the potential spread of deadly germs to patients. Recommendations included on know when to wear (and change) gloves stated gloves are not a substitute for hand hygiene. If your tasks requires gloves, perform hand hygiene before donning gloves and touching the patient or the patients surroundings; always clean your hands after removing gloves. When to change gloves and clean hands included if gloves become soiled with blood or body fluids after a task, if moving from work on a soiled body site to a clean body site on the same patient or if clinical indication for hand hygiene occurs, and before exiting a patient room.This was an incidental finding discovered during the complaint investigation.