Failure to Secure Resident Information During Medication Administration
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when an LPN prepared and administered medications to a resident but failed to secure the computer screen displaying the resident's personal and medical information. During the medication pass, the LPN left the computer screen unlocked and unattended on the medication cart, with the resident's name, date of birth, and medication details visible. This was observed while the LPN was inside the resident's room administering medications, and the screen remained accessible and visible until the LPN returned several minutes later. Interviews with staff, including the Director of Nursing, confirmed that facility policy requires screens displaying resident information to be minimized or closed when unattended to protect privacy and confidentiality. The facility's policies and HIPAA training program emphasize the importance of safeguarding protected health information (PHI), but the observed actions did not align with these requirements, resulting in a failure to maintain the resident's privacy during medication administration.