Failure to Refrigerate Unopened Insulin Pen as Required
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a prefilled, unopened insulin glargine syringe intended for a resident with dementia, diabetes, and obesity was not stored according to manufacturer recommendations and facility policy. The insulin pen, which was labeled to be refrigerated until opened, was found stored in a disposable plastic bag on a medication cart rather than in a refrigerator. The medication had been delivered seven days prior and was available for resident use, but staff could not confirm when it had been removed from refrigeration. During interviews, the LPN responsible for the medication cart acknowledged not knowing when the insulin was removed from refrigeration and confirmed it had not been used or opened. The DON also confirmed the failure to store the insulin pen appropriately. Facility policy required all medications to be stored according to manufacturer recommendations, including refrigeration for those that require it, but this was not followed in this instance.