Unsecured Medications Found at Bedside
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed that a resident was found with a bottle labeled for congestion treatment and an unlabeled transparent medication bottle containing an unidentified tablet at their bedside on multiple occasions. These medications were not secured and remained accessible to the resident over at least two days. The facility's policy requires all medications and biologicals to be stored in locked compartments, accessible only to authorized personnel, and staff interviews confirmed that residents are not permitted to keep medications in their rooms. Record review indicated that the resident was cognitively intact but required staff assistance with activities of daily living. There was no documentation in the care plan authorizing or assessing the resident for self-administration of medications. Staff interviews further revealed that the resident's wife routinely brought in unauthorized items, including medications, and that staff are expected to remove any medications found in resident rooms and store them properly.