Failure to Properly Label and Dispose of Medications
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure proper labeling and timely disposal of medications in accordance with professional standards and facility policy. During observation of the medication storage room, an undated multi-use vial of Aplisol was found, and staff interviews confirmed that the vial should have been dated upon opening and discarded after 30 days. Additionally, three prefilled syringes of hepatitis B vaccine with an expiration date that had already passed were found in the storage room, and staff acknowledged these should have been discarded. Facility policy requires regular review and removal of expired medications, but this was not followed. Further deficiencies were identified on two medication carts. An insulin pen injector for a resident with Type 2 diabetes was found without an open date, and the LPN confirmed that insulin pens should be dated when opened and are only good for 28 days after opening. Another cart contained two insulin pen injectors for a different resident, also without open dates, and the LPN was unable to determine how long they had been open. Both residents had physician orders for Glargine insulin, and the facility's policy requires medications with shortened expiration dates to be labeled with the date opened and the initials of the nurse, which was not done.