Washing hands, isolating contagious patients and keeping ill nurses and aides from coming to work — are routinely ignored in the nation’s nursing homes, according to an article on the Los Angeles Times website.
A Kaiser Health News analysis of federal inspection records shows 74 percent of nursing homes have been cited for lapses in infection control.
While repeat citations are common, fines are rare. Only 1 of 75 homes found deficient in the four years studied has received a high-level citation that can result in a financial penalty, Kaiser found.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which oversees inspections, last year required long-term care facilities to put in place better systems to prevent infections, but defends it's record on disciplinary action.
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