Widespread Failure to Administer Prescribed Medications
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified that the facility failed to ensure residents were free from significant medication errors, as evidenced by multiple instances where residents did not receive prescribed medications over several days. For example, one resident with a history of kidney transplant and chronic kidney disease did not receive critical medications such as prednisone, nifedipine, and cyclosporine due to pharmacy delays and order entry errors. There was no documentation that the physician was notified of these missed doses, and in some cases, medications were administered at incorrect frequencies due to transcription errors from hospital discharge summaries. Staff interviews confirmed that nurses were responsible for entering and verifying orders, but lapses occurred, resulting in missed or incorrectly administered medications. Other residents with complex medical conditions, including end-stage renal disease, diabetes, bipolar disorder, and high blood pressure, also experienced missed doses of essential medications such as insulin, antihypertensives, antipsychotics, antidepressants, antibiotics, and antiplatelets. Medication Administration Records (MARs) showed blank entries for multiple medications on several days, with no documentation explaining the omissions or indicating that the medical team had been notified. Residents reported going extended periods without receiving their medications, and staff interviews revealed that staffing shortages contributed to the inability to administer medications as ordered. A facility-wide audit of medication administration revealed that a significant number of residents did not receive multiple medications on multiple days, affecting nearly the entire resident population. The Director of Nursing and Administrator acknowledged awareness of the issue, attributing it to staffing challenges and lapses in oversight. The Medical Director confirmed that all prescribed medications were significant and that missing doses, especially of antirejection medications, was unacceptable. The deficiency was determined to have resulted in the likelihood of serious injury, harm, or death for all residents in the facility.
Removal Plan
- The medical team was notified of all residents who had medication errors (missed medications), medical assessments were in process and daily vital signs were initiated and will be ongoing.
- 100% of all onsite day and evening shift licensed nursing staff education was completed and included the facility's policies Administering Medications and Adverse Consequences and Medication Errors, the missed medication daily review process and proper communication of staffing emergencies related to coverage.
- Interviews with licensed nurses onsite were completed to verify the above education including the evening nurse supervisor. An attestation that 100% of all facility licensed nurses including agency nurses would be educated prior to their next shift.
- A facility wide Medication Administration Audit Report for every shift for any missed or omitted medications will be conducted by the Nursing Supervisor or the Director of Nursing (or designee).
- Interviews with facility Administrator, Director of Nursing and Corporate Director of Nursing were completed regarding a root cause analysis of significant medication errors as related to staffing issues and plans initiated to prevent ongoing issues including closing one resident unit down and increased agency presence in the facility as needed.