Expired Medication Found Accessible on Medication Cart
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a bottle of atorvastatin 20 mg, prescribed for a resident to be taken daily, was found on Medication Cart b with a discard by date that had already passed. The expired medication was still available for use, contrary to the facility's Storage of Medications policy, which requires that no discontinued, outdated, or deteriorated medications be used and that such medications be recycled or destroyed. This was confirmed through observation of the medication cart, review of the resident's physician orders, and interviews with both the LPN and the Director of Nursing, who acknowledged that the expired medication should not have been accessible for resident use. The incident involved a resident with an active order for atorvastatin, and the expired medication was found during a review of the medication cart, with staff confirming the oversight.