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Based on observation, staff interview, and review of the facility's policy, the facility failed to ensure nursing staff change intravenous (IV) medication administration tubing every 72 hours, during one of two observations of IV medication administration, for Patient (P)5. Failure to change IV tubing can lead to bacterial growth in the tubing, with potential negative outcomes for all seven inpatients receiving care at this facility.

Finding include:

Review of the facility's policy titled, "IV Peripheral Line Insertion, Maintenance, and Discontinuation Guidelines," last revised September 2017, showed, "Maintenance: 2. IV tubing changes are to be done every 72 to 96 hours."

An observation of patient care was conducted on 07/23/18 at 11:10 AM in P5's room. Licensed Practical Nurse, (LPN) 23, was preparing to attach the IV tubing already hanging on the IV pole to the IV bag containing P5's medication. When requested by the surveyor to check the date on label attached to the IV tubing prior to attaching the medication bag, LPN 23 indicated the start date read, "07/16/18," and the due date for changing the tubing read, "07/19/18." LPN 23 reported the patient had been receiving the IV medication for "about a week." When asked to state the correct procedure for checking and changing the IV tubing, LPN 23 reported the tubing should be checked by every nurse prior to attaching the medication bag. LPN also reported that the facility policy is for IV tubing to discarded, and new tubing used, every 72 hours.

During an interview with the Director of Nursing (DON) on 07/23/18 at 12:35 PM, the above observation was reported. The DON stated that facility policy and expectation is for nursing staff to observe the date on the IV tubing label prior to each medication administration, and for the IV tubing to be changed every 72 hours.