Failure to Assess and Authorize Self-Administration Before Leaving Medication at Bedside
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to obtain a physician's order and conduct an assessment for self-administration of medication before leaving a prescribed inhaler in a resident's room. The resident, who had a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and macular degeneration, was observed with a Breo Ellipta inhaler on their bedside table. The resident reported that an LPN left the inhaler in the room after being called away to attend to another resident, and stated that they had previously self-administered medications prior to admission and were interested in continuing to do so. However, there was no documentation of an order or assessment authorizing self-administration or bedside storage of the medication. Facility policy required an interdisciplinary team assessment and a physician's order before permitting self-administration of medications or leaving medications at the bedside. Interviews with the LPN, DON, and Administrator confirmed that these steps had not been completed for this resident. The DON and Administrator both acknowledged that the resident had not been assessed for self-administration and did not have the necessary physician's order, despite the resident's cognitive ability to self-administer medications.