Expired and Improperly Labeled Medications Found on Medication Cart
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors found that the facility failed to properly store and remove expired medications from one of three medication carts inspected. During the inspection of the Evergreen Arbor medication cart, several expired medications were discovered, including bottles of melatonin, docusate sodium, and Latanoprost eye drops for two residents, all past their expiration dates as indicated by manufacturer guidelines and facility policy. Additionally, a Lantus Solostar KwikPen was found without an expiration date written on the packaging or pen label, and an Insulin Lispro Injection KwikPen was present with a broken seal, lacking both a resident name and an open date. Interviews with staff revealed inconsistencies in medication cart audit frequency and procedures for labeling and removing expired medications. While some staff believed audits occurred quarterly, others stated they were performed monthly, with the last inspection of the cart occurring over a month prior to the survey. Facility policy required that no discontinued, outdated, or deteriorated medications be available for use, and that all such medications be destroyed, but these procedures were not consistently followed, resulting in expired and improperly labeled medications remaining accessible on the cart.