Expired and Over-Open-Period Medications Found in Medication Cart
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed that expired medications and medications that had been opened beyond their recommended usage period were stored in Medication Cart 1. Specifically, a bottle of Calcium Citrate Magnesium and Zinc with vitamin D3 and a bottle of Centrum Silver Women 50+ were found with expiration dates of 3/2025, and both were still present after this date. Additionally, two bottles of latanoprost 0.005% eye drops, each labeled to be discarded 42 days after opening, were found in the cart despite being opened on 2/17/25, which exceeded the allowable period. During the observation, the LVN confirmed the presence of these expired and over-open-period medications and acknowledged that they should not have been stored in the medication cart. The facility's policy requires contacting the dispensing pharmacy for instructions regarding the return or destruction of outdated or discontinued medications.