Expired and Unlabeled Medications Found on Medication Carts
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed that expired medications were not removed from two out of three medication carts inspected. Specifically, a box of Cranberry capsules with an expiration date of 01/2023 and a box of Probiotic capsules with an expiration date of 02/2025 were found on one cart. On another cart, a box of Probiotic capsules with an expiration date of 02/2025 and a bottle of ProSource Plus protein supplement with an illegible expiration date were found. These findings were confirmed by the Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON) and a Registered Nurse (RN), who acknowledged that the medications were expired or lacked a legible expiration date and should not have been available for administration. The Director of Nursing (DON) confirmed that facility policy requires all medications to be labeled with the resident's name, frequency of administration, and an expiration date, and that expired medications should be removed immediately from medication carts and storage areas. The DON also stated that failure to remove expired medications could result in their administration to residents. The facility's policy on the disposal and destruction of expired or discontinued medications requires such items to be placed in a designated, secure location for destruction.