Misappropriation of Resident Medication by Staff Member
Penalty
Summary
A facility failed to ensure that a resident was free from misappropriation of medications. The incident involved a resident with severe cognitive impairment and multiple diagnoses, including anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, intellectual disabilities, and dementia. The resident was non-verbal and fully dependent on staff for care. A staff member, specifically an LPN, was suspected of taking narcotic medications prescribed to the resident for personal use. The incident was discovered when a Qualified Medication Aide observed suspicious behavior from the LPN, including being found in a resident's bathroom and acting abnormally. The LPN had also signed out medication for a resident who was not present in the facility and attempted to have another staff member perform a narcotic count, which was refused. A subsequent narcotic count revealed discrepancies, including a container of liquid Ativan that had been tampered with and filled with water. The police and facility management were notified of the misappropriation. The facility's policy defined misappropriation as the deliberate misplacement or wrongful use of resident property, including missing prescription medication or diversion of controlled substances for staff use. The incident was confirmed through interviews, record reviews, and observation of the narcotic count process, which revealed the medication discrepancy and the staff member's actions leading to the deficiency.