Medication Administration Deficiency
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that medications were not left at the bedside, affecting one resident. The resident, who has severe cognitive impairment and is not approved to self-administer medications, was observed with a medication cup containing two pills on the bedside table. The resident expressed an intention to take the medications, which included Gabapentin and Buspirone HCl. Interviews with two LPNs confirmed that the medications were left on the resident's bedside table, and the resident is not authorized to self-administer medications. The facility's policy on medication administration requires that medications be administered by authorized personnel and that staff remain with the resident until the medication is swallowed. The policy explicitly states that medications should not be left in a resident's room without orders to do so.