Nurse Administers Resident Medication to Staff Member
Penalty
Summary
A licensed nurse failed to follow professional standards by removing a dose of propranolol, a prescription medication intended for a resident with hypertension, from the medication cart and offering it to an unlicensed staff member who reported experiencing anxiety. The staff member took the medication from the nurse but ultimately disposed of it in a hopper without ingesting it. The medication was specifically labeled for a resident who had an active physician's order for propranolol 40 mg three times daily for hypertension. The nurse had full access to the medication cart and did not have a physician's order to administer the medication to the staff member. Facility policy and the nurse's job description both require that medications be administered only as ordered by a physician and only to the intended resident. Interviews with staff confirmed that nurses are not permitted to give resident medications to staff, as these medications are not prescribed for them and could cause unknown side effects. The incident was observed on security cameras and verified through interviews with the involved staff, including the nurse who admitted to giving the medication to the staff member.