Medication Storage and Labeling Deficiencies Identified
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified multiple deficiencies in the facility's medication storage and labeling practices. During observations, it was found that several multi-dose medications, such as Latanoprost and Fluticasone nasal spray, were not labeled with open dates, making it unclear how long they had been in use. Additionally, artificial tears for two residents were found with open dates that exceeded the recommended 30-day usage period. These lapses in labeling and timely discarding of medications could result in the administration of expired drugs. Unopened insulin pens requiring refrigeration were found stored in the medication cart instead of the refrigerator, contrary to pharmacy auxiliary labels and facility policy. Staff interviews confirmed that unopened insulin should be refrigerated, and that failure to do so could compromise medication integrity. Furthermore, the daily refrigerator temperature logs on the 3rd floor had missing entries, and staff acknowledged that temperature checks were not consistently performed as required. This inconsistency in monitoring could affect the safety and efficacy of temperature-sensitive medications stored for all residents on the floor. Vaccines were also found stored in the refrigerator, but temperature monitoring was only performed once daily instead of the expected twice daily when vaccines are present. Staff were unclear about the correct monitoring frequency, indicating a lack of adherence to established protocols. The facility's own policies require medications to be stored according to manufacturer recommendations, with proper labeling and timely removal of outdated drugs, but these procedures were not consistently followed for the residents involved.