Medication Improperly Stored at Bedside
Penalty
Summary
A tube of Diclofenac Sodium Topical Gel, 1% was found on a resident's nightstand during an observation conducted with an RN. The medication was identified as a used, old medication that was not part of the resident's current physician-ordered medications. Both the RN and the DON confirmed that medications should not be stored at the bedside for resident safety, and that only staff authorized to administer medications should have access to them. The resident involved had diagnoses including hemiplegia and hemiparesis affecting the left side, type 2 diabetes, and low back pain. The resident's cognitive skills for daily decision-making were intact, and they required supervision with eating and partial assistance with personal and oral hygiene. The facility's policy stated that medications must be stored safely, securely, and only accessible to authorized staff, which was not followed in this instance.