Medications Left Unsecured on Medication Carts
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed that medications and biologicals were not properly stored on two medication carts. On one occasion, several medications, including a bottle of amoxicillin, two bottles of Nystatin, a tube of wound paste, and a tube of cooling gel, all labeled for specific residents, were left unsupervised and accessible on top of a medication cart in the hallway while the assigned LPN was in a resident's room. The LPN stated that these medications belonged in the treatment cart, which was located at the end of the hallway, and not on her medication cart. In a separate instance, another LPN left medication cards containing pantoprazole, carvedilol, digoxin, acetaminophen, and ferrosol on top of a medication cart while she left to check for an out-of-stock medication, with at least one resident present in the hallway at the time. The Nurse Consultant acknowledged awareness of the medication storage concern but did not provide further information.