Failure to Remove Discharged Resident's Medications from Medication Cart
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide proper pharmaceutical services by not removing or disposing of medications belonging to a discharged resident. During an observation of a medication cart, it was found that medications labeled for a resident who had already been discharged remained on the cart, including Ipratropium .02% solution, Ipratropium .02% nebulizer solution, and Budesonide inhalation suspension. The nurse interviewed confirmed that these medications should have been removed from the cart upon the resident's discharge to prevent them from being administered to another resident. The Director of Nursing stated that medications may remain on the cart for up to 24 hours if a resident is expected to return, but should be disposed of if the resident does not come back. Facility policy requires that discontinued or discharged residents' medications be immediately removed from active supply and stored separately until destroyed. The failure to follow these procedures resulted in the continued presence of the discharged resident's medications on the active medication cart.