Failure to Follow Infection Control Practices During Medication Administration
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when an LPN failed to adhere to proper infection control practices during medication administration for a resident with multiple diagnoses, including asthma, hyponatremia, hypertension, gastro-esophageal reflux, osteoarthritis, and chronic kidney disease. The LPN prepared several medications by placing them in separate medication cups, which were then stacked on top of each other to carry them to the resident's room. The bottom of each medication cup, which had been in direct contact with the unsanitary surface of the medication cart, touched the tablets in the cups below, resulting in the administration of potentially contaminated medications to the resident. The LPN stated that she stacked the cups because she could not carry all the medications in her hands and did not want to leave anything behind on the cart. She acknowledged that the top of the medication cart was not sanitary for stacking cups and that she had received recent in-service education on proper medication administration. The Director of Nursing confirmed that the cart surface was not considered sanitary and that trays were available for safe medication transport, as outlined in the facility's medication administration policy.