Staff and Patients being repeatedly exposed to Covid- 19 from to the facility not providing workers with proper protection with symptomatic patients and not testing symptomatic patients in a timely manner. The facility has had several patients test positive for Covid and the staff caring for the
patients testing positive as well. Workers are being required to return to work while experiencing active symptoms of Covid after 10 days have passed from positive test results, saying that after the 10 days they are safe to return and would be an unexcused absence if they do not return to work. Patient families have called and complained that loved ones have been sent home with Covid from the facility. A patient that was requiring high flow oxygen of 6 plus liters was given a chest xray and the radiologist and pulmonologist reported that they were certain that the patient had Covid Pneumonia. The patient was tested for covid, but they did not protect the staff from exposure to the patient. Staff is told an N95 was not needed unless the patient tested positive for Covid and his test was still pending. Staff entering the patient's room were provided with gown, face shield, surgical mask, and gloves. Staff was exposed for over 8 hours to this patient before his his test came back positive for Covid 19. Staff who cared for that patient coming back to work later in the week said they were never contacted by employee health to warn them of possible exposure, so they were unable to take necessary precautions to protect their family. Another patient that tested positive for Covid uses a CPAP at night this is an aerosol generating procedure. Testing was put off on this patient even though they were symptomatic based on the fact that they had been tested previously, despite repetitive requests for testing. Staff members were entering this room without N95s and then entering other patient rooms. Staff members working on that unit tested positive and many of the patients on that unit tested positive as well.
Alleged Hazards: 1, Employees Exposed: 25
Source: Osha.gov | Receipt Date: 2020-12-16
Alleged Hazards: 1, Employees Exposed: 25
Source: Osha.gov | Receipt Date: 2020-12-16
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