Long-Term Care Survey Alert

Reusing fingerstick devices still constitutes IJ, according to the new example.

In a recent survey & cert memo, CMS notes it's changing Appendix PP of the State Operations Manual, which had included failure to clean glucometers in between patients as an example of IJ. The revision will read as follows, according to the memo: An example of a negative outcome that occurred or has the potential to occur at Severity Level 4 as a result of the facility's deficient practices may include:

The facility failed to follow Standard Precautions during the performance of routine testing of blood glucose. The facility reused fingerstick devices for more than one resident. This practice of re-using fingerstick devices for more than one resident created an Immediate Jeopardy to resident health by potentially exposing residents who required blood glucose testing to the spread of bloodborne infections in the facility.