Emerald Nursing Brookside: Infection Control Gaps - NE
The October 2nd violation occurred during morning wound care for a diabetic resident with open toe wounds on both feet. The LPN gathered supplies, performed hand hygiene, and entered the room wearing only gloves — no gown.
Inspectors watched the nurse remove old bandages from the resident's right foot, change gloves, clean the open wounds with gauze, and apply Medi-Honey and fresh Band-Aids. Throughout the entire process, the nurse never put on the gown required by Enhanced Barrier Precautions.
Enhanced Barrier Precautions are infection control measures designed to prevent transmission of multidrug-resistant organisms in nursing homes. The protocol requires gowns and gloves during high-contact care for residents with wounds or medical devices.
The resident had been admitted with Type 2 diabetes, a condition that can cause poor blood flow to feet and slow-healing diabetic ulcers. Wound care orders dated back to September 20th called for daily application of Medi Honey and bandages to bilateral toe wounds.
When questioned immediately after the wound care, the LPN told inspectors she thought Enhanced Barrier Precautions only applied to catheter care and tube feedings, not wound treatment.
The facility's own infection control policy, dated March 20th, 2024, explicitly states that Enhanced Barrier Precautions must be used during routine care of residents with chronic wounds, specifically including diabetic foot ulcers.
The Director of Nursing confirmed to inspectors that the resident was indeed on Enhanced Barrier Precautions. She acknowledged it was the facility's expectation for staff to wear gowns before performing wound care and to complete hand hygiene before putting on or after removing gloves.
The nurse had also failed to perform hand hygiene between glove changes during the wound care procedure, inspectors noted.
Diabetic foot ulcers present particular infection risks because diabetes impairs the body's ability to fight bacteria and heal wounds. Poor blood circulation in diabetic patients means infections can spread rapidly and resist treatment.
The inspection occurred after a complaint was filed against the 106-bed facility. Federal inspectors classified the violation as having minimal harm or potential for actual harm to residents.
Enhanced Barrier Precautions represent a relatively recent shift in nursing home infection control. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention developed the guidelines specifically for long-term care facilities to combat the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that have become increasingly common in institutional settings.
The precautions focus on residents at highest risk for acquiring or transmitting dangerous organisms — those with wounds, catheters, feeding tubes, or other medical devices that create entry points for bacteria.
Multidrug-resistant organisms pose serious threats in nursing homes, where residents often have compromised immune systems and live in close quarters. Once established, these bacteria can spread rapidly through a facility and prove extremely difficult to eliminate.
The wound care violation highlights ongoing challenges in nursing home infection control training and compliance. Despite written policies, frontline staff may not fully understand when and how to implement protective measures.
The facility's policy required not just gown use during wound care, but also proper hand hygiene timing — before donning gloves and after removing them. The observed nurse missed both requirements.
For the diabetic resident receiving daily wound care, the infection control lapses created unnecessary exposure risks during a vulnerable healing process. Diabetic wounds already heal slowly and face higher infection rates than wounds in healthy individuals.
The inspection found that few residents were affected by the infection control deficiencies, but the violations occurred in a facility housing 106 vulnerable residents where infectious diseases can spread rapidly if proper precautions aren't followed consistently.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Emerald Nursing & Rehab Brookside LLC from 2025-11-18 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
Additional Resources
Data source: Official federal inspection data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Editorial process: AI-synthesized regulatory data, reviewed for accuracy by our editorial team.
Professional review: All content reviewed by Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr., NH EMT & BU-trained Paralegal.
Last verified: June 20, 2026 · Our methodology
Emerald Nursing & Rehab Brookside LLC in Lincoln, NE was cited for violations during a health inspection on November 18, 2025.
The October 2nd violation occurred during morning wound care for a diabetic resident with open toe wounds on both feet.
Health inspections identify deficiencies that facilities must correct. Violations range from minor documentation issues to serious safety concerns. Review the full report below for specific details and facility response.