Unsecured Discarded Medications Left Accessible During Medication Pass
Penalty
Summary
During medication administration, a registered nurse was observed discarding two 300 mg gabapentin capsules and one 5 mg memantine tablet into an open trash receptacle attached to the medication cart. The medication cart, containing the unsecured discarded medications, was left locked but unattended on four separate occasions in a common area between the facility's front entrance and the rehabilitation room. At the time, five residents were present in the hallway where the cart and the open trash receptacle with the medications were accessible. The registered nurse confirmed that the medications should not have been discarded in an unsecured trash receptacle and acknowledged that any resident passing by could have accessed them. The Director of Nursing also confirmed that medications should not be left unattended where residents could access them.