Medications Left Unattended and Not Administered as Ordered
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure the accurate dispensing and administration of medications for a resident with diagnoses including cerebral infarction, chronic systolic heart failure, and aphasia. On the morning of the survey, a surveyor observed a small plastic cup containing seven pills left unattended on the resident's bedside table, visible from the hallway, while the resident was not present in the room or bathroom. The medications included Furosemide, Levetiracetam, Magnesium Oxide, Metoprolol Succinate, Potassium Chloride, and Spironolactone, all of which were scheduled for administration at 8:00 AM but had not been taken as ordered. Facility policy requires that residents may only self-administer medications if the interdisciplinary team has determined it is safe, and the resident in question had previously indicated they did not wish to self-administer medications. When questioned, the LPN was unsure if the resident was assessed for self-administration and acknowledged concern about leaving medications unattended. The DON confirmed that staff are expected to ensure residents take medications in their presence and not leave medications unattended, which did not occur in this instance.