Unattended and Unlocked Medication Cart
Penalty
No penalty information released
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a medication cart on Sunshine Hall was found unattended and unlocked beside the nurse's desk while the responsible licensed nurse was away. Administrative nursing staff observed the unlocked cart and secured it until the nurse returned. Interviews with administrative and licensed nursing staff confirmed that facility policy requires all medication carts and rooms to remain locked when not in use or when staff are not in direct sight of the cart. The facility's policy also specifies that medications and biologicals must be stored safely, securely, and only accessible to authorized personnel.