Unattended Unlocked Medication Carts with Accessible Medications
Penalty
27 days payment denial
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Summary
Two medication carts were found unlocked and unattended at Nursing Station Three, with medications, including topical creams, accessible to individuals in the area. The surveyor was able to open the carts without being questioned or observed by staff, despite the presence of residents with dementia nearby. A Licensed Vocational Nurse later confirmed responsibility for the cart and acknowledged it should have been locked. Facility policy requires that medications and biologicals be stored securely and only accessible to authorized personnel, with carts locked when not attended.