Improper Disposal of Unused Medications by LPN
Penalty
No penalty information released
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
A deficiency occurred when unused medications for a resident with thyroid disease and heart failure were improperly disposed of by an LPN during a medication pass. The LPN was observed placing unused medications into a garbage can attached to the medication cart, rather than following facility policy which requires medications to be stored in a locked area until destruction and hazardous medications to be placed in appropriate containers. The LPN acknowledged that medications should not have been placed in the trash due to safety concerns, as they would be accessible to residents. The facility's policy on medication destruction and disposal was not followed during this incident.