HospitalInspections.org

Based on observation and interview, the facility failed to maintain bio-hazard containers (containers that contain used needles and materials contaminated with blood and/or body fluids that may pose a risk of an exposure to others) in a manner that protects staff, visitors and patients at the facility, from an exposure to blood borne pathogens or other potentially infectious material. Findings include:

On 12/16/2014 at 1000 with the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) and Radiology Manager, a tour was conducted of the room used to perform a CAT (Computerized Axile Tomography) scan. The room contained a large opened red bio-hazard box sitting on the floor. When the Radiology Manager was queried as to what age group they may treat in the department, he stated, "Any age, newborn up to a hundred." When queried if a child could be brought into this room for testing, he stated, "Yes, they could." When queried if he thought that a child could place their hand into the opened needle box, he stated, "I guess if someone wasn't watching them they could." The Radiology Manager then stated, "We only use that for one physician, I guess we could move it and just bring it out, when he is here."

On 12/16/2014 at 1020, tour was continued in the Emergency Department with Staff M
ED/RN (Registered Nurse), where a large opened red bio-hazard box was noted to be sitting on the floor in trauma bay #2. When Staff M was queried if there could be small children walking around in this area, she stated, "Yes, but they are usually in here with a parent." When queried if there could be a possibility of a child putting their hand into the opened container, she stated, "I guess anything is possible." When queried if the container could be closed without locking the lid shut, she replied, "I don't know." A review of the container revealed that the lid could be slid shut to limit the risk of exposure without being locked closed so as to not be able to open it when needed. Staff M stated, "I didn't know that."

The observational tour continued on 12/16/2014 at 1035 on the Acute Care Unit/Intensive Care Unit (ACU/ICU) with staff L. Staff L stated, "We use all of the rooms as acute care rooms. If we have someone that requires a higher level of care then we place them into one of the four designated ICU rooms. We schedule an ICU RN every shift but mostly the rooms are used for acute care patients." Sitting on the floor in ICU rooms #1 and #2 were large opened red bio-hazard boxes. When Staff L was queried as to what age group they may treat, she stated "Any age up to a hundred or more." When asked if patient's family may bring in small children to visit, she stated, "Sure." When queried if a risk existed in regards to a child putting their hand into the opened container, she replied, "Yes, I could see that happening, I never thought about it before." During the observation, the other two ICU rooms were occupied and had the curtains closed. When Staff L was queried as to if the other two rooms would also contain the large opened bio-hazard containers sitting on the floor, she stated, "I am going to say yes I am pretty sure that they do." Staff L stated, "I am in and out of then rooms almost everyday and I never paid attention to them before."

On 12/16/2014 at 1345, during a tour of the pre and post anesthesia areas revealed two more of the large opened bio-hazard containers sitting on the floor. One container was located next to the anesthesia cart and per Staff J (Manager Surgical Services), when queried about the risk of exposure, she stated, "If there is patients in this area then there are staff in this area at all times. If someone comes in to see a patient that has a small child staff are very observant of them because of all the equipment we have in here." In an area identified at phase two post-op, a large red bio-hazard box was sitting on the floor. The Manager again stated, "We really would not have any children walking through this area. The top on the box was noted to be pulled closed."

In an interview with Staff P (House Keeping Aide) on 12/16/2014 at 1425, When queried as to what her job was regarding the sharp containers, she stated, "We check the wall containers every day and if they are full we take them down to the soiled utility room and put up a new one. Then the janitors take them out of the soiled utility and take them down to a special room."

In an interview with the CNO on 12/17/2014 at 1100, she stated, "There really is not any reason that they need those big sharps containers. We don't even fill them before they are taken out and they are not cost effective. We have to remove them before they get full or they would start to get smelly."