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Based on review of policy and procedures, observation and interview, the hospital staff failed to clean contaminated equipment with the appropriate disinfectant for 1 of 1 observation.

Findings included:

Review on 06/11/2020 of the hospital policy and procedure titled "Cleaning & Disinfection of Shared Patient Equipment," last revised 05/10/2018, revealed " ...all equipment should be cleaned ...after use on patient with Contact or Contact Enteric Precautions."

Review on 06/11/2020 of the hospital policy and procedure titled "Standard & Transmission-Based Precautions last updated on 12/13/2018 revealed "Procedures ...C. Transmission-based Isolation Precautions include the following categories: ... 2. Contact Enteric Precautions/isolation ... b. Use bleach wipes to clean and disinfect any patient care equipment that cannot be kept in the patient's room. ..."

Review on 06/11/2020 of the hospital's job description for "Nursing Assistant" last revised on 03/25/2009 revealed " ...8. Cleans, disinfects, organizes and/or restocks patient care areas, wheelchairs, stretchers and equipment. A. Accomplishes routine and specially assigned tasks in accordance with procedure or instructions, standards for cleanliness, and time frames."

Observation during tour of the 6th floor on 06/10/2020 at 1135 revealed a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) #13 exited room 624 with a rolling vital signs cart. Observation of the closed room (624) door revealed a red isolation caddy hanging on the door, with an orange top Sani-Cloth Bleach container stored in a pocket of the caddy. Observation revealed CNA #13 walked to the room next door, stopped in the doorway and began cleaning the pulse oximeter probe with an alcohol prep pad. This surveyor asked if the vital signs machine should be cleaned between patient use and was told "yes" by RN #14 (Registered Nurse). RN #14 stated the equipment should be cleaned with a Sani-Cloth Bleach wipe. RN #14 stopped CNA #13 before she entered the next patient's room. RN #14 informed CNA #13 that the patient in the room she had taken the vital signs machine from had a red isolation caddy on the door, which meant the equipment needed to be cleaned with the bleach wipe in the orange top container, located in the caddy. Observation revealed CNA #13 failed to clean a vital signs machine that had been used in a contact/enteric isolation patient's room per hospital policy, prior to taking to another patient's room.

Interview on 06/10/2020 at 1140 with RN #14 revealed the expectation was that the CNA follow the equipment cleaning policy for patients on isolation precautions. Interview revealed the CNA should use a Sani-Cloth bleach wipe when cleaning equipment removed from a contact/enteric precaution patient's room prior to entering another patient's room. Interview confirmed that CNA #13 did not follow the hospital policy for cleaning and disinfecting equipment removed from an isolation room prior to taking the machine to another patient's room.

NC00165928