Expired Medications Not Removed from Medication Refrigerator
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that drugs and biologicals were labeled and stored in accordance with professional standards, specifically regarding the removal and discarding of expired medications. During an observation of the medication refrigerator on the 300 hall, surveyors found four elastomeric ball pumps containing piperacillin/tazobactam labeled for one resident and six elastomeric ball pumps containing gentamicin labeled for another resident, all of which were expired. The facility's medication storage policy did not address expiration dates or the process for discarding expired medications. Interviews with staff, including a Certified Medication Technician, the Assistant Director of Nursing, the Director of Nursing, and the Administrator, revealed inconsistent practices and unclear responsibilities regarding the removal of expired medications, with some staff indicating that nurses, pharmacy technicians, or pharmacy staff were responsible for this task. The residents involved had significant medical histories, including second degree burns, chronic pain, autistic disorder, type 2 diabetes mellitus, allergies to antibiotics, muscle weakness, and chronic kidney disease. The expired medications found were intravenous antibiotics, which had not been removed from the medication refrigerator after their expiration dates. Staff interviews confirmed that expired medications remained in the medication room refrigerator, and there was a lack of clear, consistent oversight to ensure timely removal and disposal of these medications.