Failure to Obtain Informed Consent for Psychotropic Medication
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to obtain informed consent prior to administering psychotropic medication to a resident, which is a deficiency in ensuring residents are fully informed about their health status, care, and treatments. The resident, who was admitted with diagnoses including surgical aftercare, Alzheimer's disease with early onset, and dementia, was prescribed Seroquel, an antipsychotic medication, for dementia with behavioral disturbance. Despite a pharmacist's recommendation to assess the risks versus benefits of continuing the medication due to a black box warning, the facility did not have a documented risk and benefits consent for the resident's use of Quetiapine. The Director of Nursing (DON) had sent the pharmacist's recommendations to the attending physician, but there was no response, and the Social Services Supervisor confirmed the absence of a consent form.