Failure to Properly Store, Label, and Dispose of Medications and Biologicals
Penalty
Summary
Staff failed to properly store and label medications and biologicals as required by facility policy and professional standards. During a tour of the medication room, it was observed that two residents' in-use long-acting insulin pens were stored without labels indicating when the pens were put into use and their expiration dates. A licensed nurse confirmed that the insulin pens should have been labeled with these dates. The facility's insulin pen policy requires clear labeling with the resident's name, physician name, date dispensed, type of insulin, dosage, frequency, and expiration date, and specifies that pens should be disposed of after 28 days or per manufacturer recommendations. Additionally, expired medications were found on a medication cart, including a bottle of Prilosec with an expiration date of 05/2025 and a bottle of Maalox with an expiration date of 11/2024. A licensed nurse verified the expired status of these medications. The facility's medication storage policy requires that all medications be stored according to manufacturer recommendations and that medication rooms are routinely inspected for discontinued, outdated, defective, or deteriorated medications, which should be destroyed according to policy. Administrative staff confirmed that expired medications should have been removed and disposed of.