Illegible Medication Label Found in Memory Care Unit
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency was identified when a blue bottle containing white round pills was found in the locked memory care unit medication cart, with the resident's name legible on the label but the medication name and full dispensed date illegible. The LPN present was unable to identify the medication, only stating it was believed to be a hospice medication. The Assistant Director of Nursing confirmed that medication labels should be legible and replaced if not. The facility's policy requires all medication labels to be legible at all times and replaced by the issuing pharmacy if they become illegible, soiled, incomplete, or worn. The failure to maintain a legible medication label was observed for a resident with multiple diagnoses, including heart disease, unsteadiness, convulsions, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and anxiety disorder.