Unattended and Unlocked Medication Cart
Penalty
Fine: $14,800
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 treatment cart on Hall A was found unlocked and unattended, with the keys placed on top of the cart. This was observed during a facility survey, and the Wound Nurse responsible for the cart had exited a resident's room, leaving the cart unsecured in the hallway. The facility's policy requires that medication carts be locked and secured at all times when not in use. During interviews, both the Wound Nurse and the Director of Nursing confirmed that the cart should not have been left unlocked and that the keys should not have been left on top of the cart.