Every finding on record at North Sunflower Medical Center

Based on observation during home visit with a nurse, staff interviews, and policy/procedure review, the facility failed to follow accepted standard precautions to prevent the transmission of infections and communicable diseases during one (1) of three (3) observed home visits with patients; Patient #2. --- Findings Include: Observation at residence of Patient #2 at 10:00 a.m. on 05/21/2024, revealed Registered Nurse (RN) #1 failed to wash hands or use hand sanitizer prior to or after patient contact and failed to clean equipment prior to returning to nursing bag. RN #1 also failed to utilize a nursing bag with a clean closeable compartment. Interview with RN #1 on 05/21/2024 at 10:25 a.m. confirmed her bag was not an issued nursing bag from the facility and the bag in use has no closure for a clean compartment. Interview with Administrator on 05/21/2024 at 4:30 p.m. confirmed the facility issues closable nursing bags to all new hires and follows the facility bag technique policy and procedure. Review of the facility policy and procedure titled, ";The Nursing Bag – Technique, content, and care...Infection Control", last review dated 06/14/2023 reveals, ";...Procedure...4... Equipment must be cleaned before being returned to the nursing bag...5. Hand washing is important before you enter the inside of the bag and after contact with each patient. 10.2. wash your hands before entering your bag...10.5. after finishing all tasks, wash your hands...10.6. place all cleaned equipment back into bag and close bag..." During the exit conference on 05/23/2024 at 1:45 p.m. with the Administrator, survey findings were discussed, and no further documentation was submitted for review.