Expired Medical Supplies Found in IV Cart Due to Lack of Storage Policy
Penalty
Summary
During an inspection of the facility's intravenous (IV) cart, surveyors observed that multiple medical supplies were expired and still available for use. Specifically, the expired items included alcohol swabs, povidone-iodine swab sticks, Chlora prep triple swab sticks, luer lock tip caps, and red end caps, with some items being expired for over two years. The Director of Nursing (DON) acknowledged the presence of these expired supplies and confirmed that they should have been discarded. The DON also stated that licensed staff are responsible for checking the expiration dates in the IV cart every shift. However, it was revealed during the interview that the facility does not have a policy for supply storage and management. This lack of a formal policy contributed to the failure to ensure that drugs and biologicals were labeled and stored in accordance with professional standards, as required.