Improper Storage and Expired Medication Handling
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure proper storage and handling of medications and biologicals in accordance with manufacturer recommendations and facility policy. Specifically, three injectable vials of metoprolol were observed stored in a small container directly under an overhead light in the pharmacy, without being enclosed in an amber bag or otherwise shielded from light. The Director of Pharmacy confirmed that the vials were not protected from light, as required by the manufacturer's guidelines, which state that metoprolol must be protected from heat and light to maintain its stability and potency. Facility policy also requires medications to be stored under proper conditions as determined by the manufacturer's labeling. Additionally, two MediSense glucose control solution vials, labeled HI and LOW, were found in the medication room with expiration dates that had already passed. The Assistant Director of Nursing confirmed that the vials should have been checked and discarded by nursing staff according to the manufacturer's guidelines, which require control solutions to be discarded three months after opening or on the printed expiration date, whichever comes first. Facility policy also mandates that blood glucose meters be maintained and calibrated per the manufacturer's guidelines.