HospitalInspections.org

Based on document review and staff interviews, the Critical Access Hospital (CAH) administrative staff failed to ensure the radiology staff had a system in place to ensure 8 of 8 radiology staff received training on the use of patient transfer equipment in the radiology department. Failure to ensure proper training of equipment used in the radiology department could potentially result in a patient being severely injured during an exam, possibly resulting in the need for additional medical care and testing. The CAH Administrative staff identified an average of 468 outpatient imaging procedures per month from 7/1/21 to 12/31/21.

Findings include:

1. Review of the CAH policy "General Patient Care - Safety," last approved 5/2020, revealed in part, "The purpose [of the policy is for the] ... general patient care safety within the Department of Radiology/Nuclear Medicine ... [When] transporting patients by wheelchair ... [an] aide or technologist will assist patient to wheelchair ... [with a] minimum of two persons ..."

2. During an interview on 2/1/22 at 3:08 PM, Radiographer E confirmed they did not receive formal training on the use of a Hoyer lift (a mechanical lift which used a sling to lift a patient up from their current position and move them to a different location) for patient transfers.

3. During an interview on 2/2/22 at 9:45 AM, Radiographer I confirmed they did not receive formal training on the use of a Hoyer lift for patient transfers.

4. During an interview on 2/3/22 at 1100 AM, the Chief Financial Officer reported they spoke with the Director of Radiology via telephone. The Director of Radiology reported that when the radiology department received a new piece of equipment, the equipment representative demonstrated the use of the equipment to the radiology staff. The radiology staff did not perform a return demonstration of the equipment or utilize a process to ensure that radiology staff not present during the demonstration could safely utilize the equipment. The Director of Radiology also acknowledged that the radiology staff failed to create documentation of the staff training.