State regulators cited Juneau, Alaska-based Bartlett Regional Hospital in February after a January inspection found issues related to screening and infection prevention procedures at the hospital, local news station KTOO reported March 15.
The inspection was sparked by a staff member's complaints, according to KTOO.
Inspectors reported some people weren't following through on all steps of the COVID-19 screening process at the hospital's front entrance, with some skipping out on using the hand sanitizer. The inspection also found some of the hospital staff were not routinely filling out a symptom screening worksheet at the start of their shifts.
"They did find that we had good policies, but we weren't 100 percent in following all of our safe practices," Charlee Gribbon, BSN, RN, infection preventionist at Bartlett, told KTOO.
In one instance, a staff member who showed up feeling sick was not directed to go home. The employee later tested positive for COVID-19. Ms. Gribbon said the employee and other hospital staff had been vaccinated around that time, so she believed it could've been side effects from the vaccine.
After receiving notice of the violations, Kevin Benson, Bartlett's acting CEO, told the board of directors that the hospital had to develop a plan detailing how it would correct the issues within 10 days.
"It was a learning experience and I thought it was really validating for the importance of the little things," Ms. Gribbon said.
To read the full KTOO article, click here.
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