Expired and Unlabeled Medications Found in Medication Storage Areas
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified multiple failures in medication storage and labeling across several nursing units. Expired intravenous fluids and catheter kits were found in the medication storage room, and the medication refrigerator contained expired medications, as well as food items such as pudding and applesauce that were not labeled or dated. Multi-dose vials of insulin and tuberculin solution were opened but lacked required labels indicating the date opened and expiration date. Additionally, expired house stock medications and resident-specific medications were found on the floor near the refrigerator, rather than being properly stored. In one instance, a resident's medication, atropine 1%, was found with an expiration date that had already passed. Further observations revealed that in other medication rooms and carts, expired supplements and medications were present, and opened containers of medication were not consistently labeled with the date opened. Staff interviews confirmed that nurses are responsible for checking for expired medications and ensuring proper labeling, but these procedures were not followed. The facility's own medication storage policy requires separation of medications from food, immediate removal of outdated drugs, and proper labeling, all of which were not adhered to during the survey.