Expired Medications Found in Medication Cart Due to Lack of Systematic Checks
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed that the facility failed to remove expired medications from one of two medication carts located on the Left Wing. During an inspection of the medication cart at the nurses' station, an open bottle of Pro-Stat Nutricia with an expiration date of 5/16/2025, an unopened box of blood glucose control solution with an expiration date of 12/7/2024, and an open bottle of extra-strength antacids with an expiration date of 3/2025 were found. The LPN present confirmed that all these items were expired. Interviews with the LPN and the Administrator revealed that nursing staff are expected to check medication carts for expired medications, but there was no established system in place for ensuring this task is consistently performed. The facility's policies require that expired, discontinued, or deteriorated drugs be removed and either destroyed or returned to the pharmacy, but these procedures were not followed, resulting in expired medications being accessible in the medication cart.