A recent fine of one Buffalo, NY, nursing home reminds providers to exercise caution when using shared blood glucose meters.
New York has imposed a nearly $86,000 penalty against Safire Rehabilitation Southtowns. Department of Health inspectors found in 2016 that a licensed practical nurse did not disinfect a shared meter when testing upward of 20 residents, two with known communicable, bloodborne diseases, the Buffalo News reported Monday. LPNs used alcohol swabs, rather than the proper germicidal or bleach wipes, to clean the meters, the department found.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that whenever possible, providers should assign individual glucose meters to patients, and avoid sharing them. Department of Health inspectors also reported that the Buffalo SNF went without an infection control nurse for a year and had not trained all staff on proper procedures during that period.
Safire Rehab did not immediately respond to a McKnight’s request for comment Monday.
