Medications Improperly Stored at Bedside
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed that a bottle of TUMS and a bag of cough drops were stored in a resident's bedside basket, making medications accessible to the resident. The facility's policy requires that only licensed nurses, pharmacy personnel, and those lawfully authorized to administer medications have access to medications, and that medication rooms, carts, and supplies are to be locked when not attended by authorized personnel. The Director of Nursing (DON) confirmed the presence of these medications at the bedside and stated that medications are not to be stored at the bedside due to the risk of residents self-administering them. The resident involved was legally blind, had a history of wandering, and experienced episodes of confusion, which the DON stated made her unable to safely self-administer medications. Despite this, the resident's Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessment indicated a BIMS score of 15, showing cognitive intactness. The facility's failure to ensure medications were securely stored and not accessible to the resident constituted a violation of their own policy and regulatory requirements.