Medications Left Unattended at Bedside and on Medication Cart
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified that staff failed to follow facility policy regarding the secure handling and administration of medications for two residents. In one instance, an LPN administered Polyethylene Glycol 3350 mixed in water to a resident with moderate cognitive impairment and left the medication at the bedside, instructing the resident to finish it at her own pace. The LPN later acknowledged that this practice was against policy, as it was not possible to confirm whether the full dose was consumed, and the medication should not have been left unattended. In another instance, an LPN prepared Ipratropium-Albuterol Inhalation Solution for a resident with moderate cognitive impairment and left the medication vial unattended on top of the medication cart while retrieving supplies. The LPN admitted awareness that this was improper and could result in another resident accessing the medication. The DON confirmed that facility policy prohibits leaving medications unattended on carts or in resident rooms, emphasizing that staff are expected to observe medication administration to ensure compliance with orders.