Unattended Resident Medications Left at Bedside
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a resident's morning medications, including Allopurinol, Aspirin, Glimepiride, Isosorbide, Metoprolol, Nifedipine, Plavix, Potassium, Torsemide, Calcium Carbonate with Vitamin D, and Gabapentin, were left unattended on the bedside table. The resident, who has diagnoses of dementia, diabetes mellitus, and heart failure, was observed alone in his room with a medication cup containing 11 tablets. The resident stated that the nurse had left the medications for him to take. During an interview, the LVN acknowledged that she had given the medications to the resident but left the room to open the facility door and forgot to return to ensure the medications were taken. The DON confirmed that medications should not be left unattended or at the bedside and that nurses are trained to ensure residents swallow their medications before leaving the room. Facility policy requires all drugs and biologicals to be stored in a safe, secure, and orderly manner.