Unsecured Medications Found in Resident Rooms
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed that the facility failed to ensure proper storage of drugs and biologicals in accordance with professional standards. Unsecured medications were found in the rooms of three residents across two hallways. In one instance, two bottles of medication labeled Prevagen and Cerebral were repeatedly observed at the bedside of a resident, who confirmed he had kept and taken these pills daily for months. In another case, a medication cup containing seven unidentified pills was found on a resident's bedside table; the resident stated these were his morning medications, which he delayed taking until after eating. The LPN and Unit Manager both confirmed that medications, including over-the-counter drugs, are not permitted in resident rooms unless the resident has been assessed for self-administration and provided with a lock box, which was not the case here. Additionally, a medication cup with an unidentifiable pink pill was found unsecured on another resident's bedside table. The resident stated that medications were routinely left at the bedside until food was available. Review of this resident's medical record showed no assessment for self-administration of medication. Interviews with nursing staff and the DON confirmed that no residents were authorized to have medications at bedside and that all medications should be administered under direct observation or stored securely. The facility's own policy requires all medications to be stored in locked compartments and not left unattended, which was not followed in these instances.