F0760 F760: Ensure that residents are free from significant medication errors.
J

Failure to Prevent Significant Medication Error with Fentanyl Patch Administration

Park Terrace Rehabilitation CenterToledo, Ohio Survey Completed on 04-11-2025

Summary

A significant medication error occurred when a resident with severe cognitive impairment and chronic pain, who had a physician's order for a Fentanyl transdermal patch, was administered a new Fentanyl patch without the removal of the previous one. The LPN responsible was unable to locate or remove the previously administered patch but proceeded to apply a new patch and did not report the missing patch at the time. This resulted in the resident wearing two Fentanyl patches simultaneously, which was not discovered until after the resident exhibited symptoms of overdose, including lethargy, inability to walk or sit upright, and drooling. The facility failed to accurately assess the resident when the change in condition was noted. The nurse who responded to the resident's altered state did not complete a head-to-toe assessment and was unaware that the resident was receiving Fentanyl. Emergency Medical Services were called, and upon their assessment, two Fentanyl patches were found on the resident, one of which was initially hidden under a blood pressure cuff. Narcan was administered, and the resident was transported to the hospital, where an accidental overdose was confirmed. Documentation and monitoring of Fentanyl patch placement were inconsistent and inaccurate in the days leading up to the incident. There were multiple instances where the location of the patch was incorrectly documented or not documented at all, and missing patches were not reported to the physician or nursing management. Staff interviews revealed a lack of standardized procedures for patch administration, removal, and documentation, as well as insufficient training and communication regarding controlled substance protocols. The facility did not initiate an incident investigation or implement immediate interventions following the discovery of the overdose.

Removal Plan

  • The DON completed a skin sweep on Resident #86 to ensure there were no additional patches applied.
  • The DON completed a review of Resident #86's care plan and verified to show chronic pain and potential side effects.
  • The DON completed a skin sweep on a like resident (Resident #50) who had discontinued orders for Fentanyl patches. The DON verified there were no patches present.
  • RNCC #302 educated the Administrator and DON on reporting risk events and initiating investigation and implementing interventions.
  • The Narcotic Pain Patch Policy was updated to include: Both nurses, oncoming and off going to check placement and document in medication administration record at shift change, and removal of Fentanyl pain patch to be completed by two nurses and documented in the controlled substance/narcotic log with two nurses for disposal.
  • The DON updated Resident #86's orders to include documentation of Fentanyl patch location.
  • The DON updated Resident #86's order to check Fentanyl patch placement every shift to also include location observed.
  • The DON provided a standard list of locations and abbreviations placed on the unit for staff reference to ensure correct abbreviation documentation.
  • The DON placed a reminder sheet in the narcotic book for the nurses to physically go to check narcotic placement at shift change.
  • The DON provided education on the narcotic pain patch policy to include: Checking patch physically during count and documenting in the record; disposal of patch with two nurses and to fold patch and dispose by flushing and both nurses to document on the controlled substances/narcotic log with both nurses signing the log; using the standard list of locations and abbreviations to ensure correct abbreviation of location of Fentanyl patch; and on call manager to be notified immediately if Fentanyl patch missing.
  • A root cause analysis was completed by the Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) including Medical Director (MD) #102, the Administrator, the DON, Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON) #208, and RNCC #302 with an ad hoc QAPI meeting.
  • Auditing includes DON or designee to review shift to shift count with physical checking of patch placement is completed, validating placement of patch to match the medical record once daily for two weeks, then four times a week for four weeks.
  • Auditing to include DON or designee to audit removal of Fentanyl patch to be with two nurses and documented accurately in the narcotic log daily for two weeks, then four times a week for four weeks.
  • The DON provided education to LPN #242 on completing head-to-toe assessments.

Penalty

No penalty information released
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The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.

Resources

Below are regulatory guidelines relevant to this citation:

See other F0760 citations
Significant Medication Error and Systemic Failures in Resident Identification
K
F0760 F760: Ensure that residents are free from significant medication errors.
Short Summary

A significant medication error occurred when an agency RN, unfamiliar with residents and lacking clear identification procedures, administered morphine sulfate and levothyroxine ordered for one severely cognitively impaired resident to that resident’s cognitively impaired roommate, after calling out the wrong name and failing to verify identity via the electronic health record photo or another reliable method. The resident who received the wrong medications developed profound bradycardia and hypotension, was transferred to the ED with accidental opioid poisoning, and required naloxone to stabilize vital signs before returning to the facility. Surveyors also found that multiple residents lacked identification photos in the EHR despite facility policy, and staff reported relying on familiarity, resident self-identification, or room nameplates instead of a consistent, reliable process, creating a systemic breakdown in resident identification during medication administration.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Medications Left Unattended at Bedside and Not Administered as Prescribed
D
F0760 F760: Ensure that residents are free from significant medication errors.
Short Summary

A cognitively intact resident with end stage renal disease, GI hemorrhage, and anemia had ordered medications including Velphoro, sucralfate, and midodrine, but surveyors observed four medication cups containing these drugs left unattended on the bedside table while the assigned medication aide was at the cart and unable to see the resident. The aide confirmed the medications belonged to the resident, stated they must have been left from a prior shift, and acknowledged she had not yet given that morning’s doses and that staff are expected to observe residents swallowing medications. A nurse from the previous shift also denied intentionally leaving medications at the bedside but agreed this practice was inappropriate. The resident reported that nurses often left medications at the bedside without always informing him he was expected to take them. The physician stated that failure to receive these medications as ordered had the potential for significant adverse effects, and both the unit manager and DON stated that medications were not to be left at the bedside and that residents must be assessed before any self-administration is allowed.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Properly Administer Ordered Crushed Medication
D
F0760 F760: Ensure that residents are free from significant medication errors.
Short Summary

A resident with bipolar disorder, anxiety, and depression had physician orders for 40 mg of Ingreeza daily for drug-induced subacute dyskinesia and for all medications to be crushed, consistent with the care plan directing pills to be finely crushed. During a medication pass, an LPN prepared the Ingreeza capsule softened in pudding and administered it without opening the capsule and sprinkling the contents, thereby not crushing the medication as ordered. In interviews, the LPN and facility leadership confirmed that the medication was not administered according to the physician order and that this constituted a significant medication error.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Significant Medication Error From Misidentification During Med Pass
G
F0760 F760: Ensure that residents are free from significant medication errors.
Short Summary

A resident with CHF and paroxysmal AFib was mistakenly given a roommate’s medications when an LPN entered a shared room, called out the roommate’s name, and administered the prepared medications to the other bed after that resident responded. The facility’s policy required licensed staff to verify resident identity using identifiers such as ID bands, photos, or staff confirmation, but this verification was not performed. As a result, the resident received multiple unintended drugs, including aspirin, Xcopri, Aptiom, levetiracetam, lorazepam, morphine, acetaminophen, carbidopa-levodopa, and gabapentin. The resident initially appeared stable but then developed lethargy and hypotension, leading to Narcan administration, EMS activation, and hospital transfer, where records confirmed accidental ingestion of the roommate’s medications with resultant lethargy and hypotension.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Ensure Timely and Complete Medication Administration for Two Residents
D
F0760 F760: Ensure that residents are free from significant medication errors.
Short Summary

Two residents experienced repeated medication errors when nurses failed to administer multiple ordered medications within the facility’s required time window and, in some cases, did not administer them at all. One resident with diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, and respiratory issues repeatedly received late doses of Gabapentin, Advair, and Albuterol, and reported severe leg pain when Gabapentin was delayed. Another resident with COPD, heart failure, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis did not receive a scheduled lidocaine pain patch and had missing doses of Jardiance and Gabapentin during a late morning med pass, while still receiving other oral medications and an inhaler. Nursing staff and the DON acknowledged that medications are expected to be given within one hour before or after the ordered time and that late or omitted doses are not in accordance with physician orders, despite a facility policy requiring safe, timely administration and adherence to the five rights of medication administration.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Failure to Transcribe and Administer Ordered Antibiotics and Wrong IV Medication Administration
G
F0760 F760: Ensure that residents are free from significant medication errors.
Short Summary

A resident with a history of lumbar discitis/osteomyelitis and chronic myeloid leukemia had IV daptomycin discontinued after imaging showed improvement, and an ID physician faxed new orders for PO levofloxacin and PO vancomycin. Although the fax was confirmed as received and scanned, nursing did not transcribe these antibiotics into the EMR or MAR, and they were not administered for approximately two months, even as the resident reported to the ID physician via telehealth that she was tolerating levofloxacin, believing she was taking it. The oral antibiotic orders did not appear in the physician order listing until after the resident was hospitalized again for fever and pain, when imaging showed recurrent discitis/osteomyelitis and the hospital continued or resumed levofloxacin and PO vancomycin. In a separate incident, an LPN administered another resident’s IV ertapenem instead of the ordered IV daptomycin to this resident after taking the wrong medication from the refrigerator, contrary to facility policies requiring medications to be administered according to physician orders and pending orders to be checked and confirmed after physician visits.

No penalty information released
tooltip icon
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.

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