Expired Medications and Vaccines Not Removed from Storage and Carts
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors found that the facility failed to properly remove expired medications and vaccines from medication carts and storage areas. Specifically, three multi-dose insulin injector pens that were past the manufacturer's recommended 28-day use period were found in two medication carts. Additionally, an opened bottle of docusate sodium liquid with an expiration date that had already passed was found in one medication cart. During interviews, nursing staff acknowledged that these items should have been removed according to policy and manufacturer instructions. Further, an opened vial of Pneumococcal vaccine with an expired date and no documented open date was discovered in the medication storage room refrigerator. The interim DON was unable to determine when the vial had been opened and confirmed that both she and the nursing staff were responsible for regularly checking for and removing expired medications and vaccines. The Administrator also confirmed that nursing staff were responsible for dating and discarding insulin pens after 28 days and for removing expired medications from carts and storage areas.