Resident Medical Information Left Unsecured and Visible
Penalty
Summary
During a medication administration observation, a facility computer laptop displaying a resident's medication administration record, including the resident's name and medical information, was left open and unattended on top of the medication cart near the nurses' station. The information was visible to anyone passing by, and no staff were present in the area for several minutes. The LPN responsible for the cart indicated she had been called away to assist another resident and did not secure the computer before leaving. A review of the resident's medical record confirmed the presence of multiple medical diagnoses and ongoing medication treatments. Despite recent staff education on the importance of securing medications and maintaining the confidentiality of resident information, the incident demonstrated a failure to protect the privacy of personal and clinical records as required by facility policy.