HospitalInspections.org

Based on review of findings during a facility tour and staff interview, it was determined that the facility failed to ensure that available patient-care supplies were safe for patient use .

Findings were:

Beginning at 9:15 a.m. on 3/22/2012, tours of the facility's outpatient units, departments and buildings, revealed the following items to be expired, damaged or exposed, but available for use with patients:

1. Building 300:
a) Laboratory Draw Station with Phlebotomist (interview list #2) - surveyors activated the call light in the Unit's bathroom, located near the back portion of the Unit's hallway. Surveyors observed that, while there were alarm/alert lights located above the doors to each of the Unit's blood-draw rooms, there was none outside the bathroom to alert staff that a patient needed assistance. The surveyors heard a faint pinging sound coming from outside of the Unit; however, Unit staff were unable to hear it until notified, three minutes after the alarm was pulled, that surveyors had pulled the alarm. Surveyors and staff observed that an alarm light, located in the hallway above the Unit's entrance door, was flashing. However, the alarm light was not visible to staff from inside the Unit. The Phlebotomist and Department Director confirmed the findings during the tour.

b) Physical Therapy Unit with the Unit's Director (interview list #1)- Upon entering the Pediatric Speech Therapy room, surveyors observed a multiple-bulb pole lamp located against one wall of the room. The shade to one of the lamp sockets was broken, exposing an empty light bulb socket. The lamp was plugged into a light strip which was plugged into a wall outlet, whose face place was removed, exposing the electrical wiring located within the outlet. Surveyors also observed that none of the empty plug-in sites in both the room's outlets and the light strip were covered with child protecting devices. At the time of discovery, the Unit Director acknowledged that patients were exposed to the risk of electrical shock through contact with the empty lamp socket, the exposed wall outlet, and the uncovered/unprotected outlet plug sites.