Failure to Prevent Significant Medication Errors
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that residents were free from significant medication errors, as evidenced by multiple incidents involving missed or incorrect medication administration. In one instance, a resident with a physician order for Escitalopram 30mg daily was only dispensed a 20mg tablet by an LPN, despite the order specifying the need for both a 20mg and a 10mg tablet. The medication administration record indicated that 30mg was documented as given, but only 20mg tablets were available and dispensed for several days. This discrepancy was confirmed by both the LPN and the medication records. Additionally, several residents did not receive their scheduled morning medications on time, as indicated by the electronic medication administration record showing overdue doses for medications such as Eliquis, Tizanidine, Lamotrigine, Metformin, Baclofen, and Metoprolol Tartrate. Another resident, who was cognitively intact, reported missing medications during a night shift, including Xarelto, which was confirmed by the medication administration record and the Director of Nursing. Facility policy required verification of the right medication, dose, route, resident, and time, but these procedures were not followed, resulting in significant medication errors for multiple residents.