Failure to Monitor Nursing Staff Licensure Resulting in Unlicensed Medication Administration
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure adequate administrative oversight by not monitoring and verifying that all nursing staff maintained active licenses as required. Specifically, two Certified Medication Aides (CMAs) worked in the facility and administered medications to residents after their licenses had expired. The Kansas Nurse Aide Registry confirmed that both CMAs' licenses had expired, yet the facility's working schedule showed that one CMA worked six days and the other worked two days post-expiration. Both individuals continued to provide care to residents during this period without valid certification. Human Resources staff was responsible for tracking licensure expiration dates and notifying staff in advance, but in these instances, the expiration dates for the two CMAs were overlooked. The lapse was acknowledged by both Human Resources and the Administrative Nurse, who stated that the oversight occurred because the expiration dates for these staff members "fell through the cracks." This failure to monitor licensure status resulted in unlicensed staff providing medication administration to residents.