Failure to Properly Label and Secure Medications
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that drugs and biologicals were labeled and stored according to professional standards, as evidenced by multiple observations and interviews. In one instance, unidentifiable pills and an unlabeled cream-like substance were found in a resident's room, left on bedside tables for extended periods. The resident confirmed that staff routinely left medications at the bedside for later consumption, and staff interviews acknowledged this was not the facility's expectation. Additionally, another resident had a tube of Aquaphor with a prescription label left on the bedside table, and a third resident kept prescription medications, including Trelegy and Triamcinolone, at the bedside without proper orders or security. The DON confirmed that no residents were authorized to have medications at bedside. Further deficiencies were identified during a review of a medication cart, where expired Folic Acid and undated Latanoprost eye drops were found. Staff interviews confirmed that all resident-specific bottles should be dated and expired medications should not be present on the cart. Facility policy requires all medications to be stored in locked compartments and under direct observation during medication passes, which was not adhered to in these instances. The findings demonstrate a failure to comply with labeling and storage requirements for drugs and biologicals.