Expired and Improperly Stored Medications Found on Medication Carts
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified that the facility failed to ensure medications were not available for use past their expiration date and were not stored in their original containers on two of seven medication carts. On one medication cart, a bottle of folic acid with an expiration date of 1/2025 was found, and the LPN present acknowledged that both day and night shift nurses were responsible for checking expiration dates. On another cart, a medication cup containing pink capsules was found, and the LPN identified the medication as Benadryl by its appearance, admitting that storing medications outside their original packaging was not acceptable practice. Interviews with the Director of Nursing and Assistant Director of Nursing confirmed that facility policy required medications to be stored in their original containers, labeled with the date of opening, and discarded if expired. Both leaders stated that medications should not be kept in open cups or identified by appearance. The observations and staff interviews demonstrated that the facility's medication storage policy was not consistently followed, resulting in expired and improperly stored medications being accessible for use.