Expired Medication Found in Medication Cart
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency was identified when a bottle of Mirtazapine 15 mg, used to treat depression, was found in one of the facility's medication carts (med cart AA) with an expiration date that had already passed. During an inspection, a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) confirmed the medication was expired and acknowledged it should have been removed from the cart. The Director of Nursing (DON) also confirmed in an interview that expired medication should not remain in the medication cart. A review of the facility's policies and procedures revealed that discontinued or outdated medications are to be placed in a designated, secure location for destruction, and all medications must be labeled and stored according to state and federal regulations. The facility's policy also requires routine inspection by the consultant pharmacist to identify and remove outdated or deteriorated medications. Despite these policies, the expired medication remained accessible in the medication cart.