Failure to Ensure Medication Security and Proper Disposal
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure proper medication security for two residents. In one instance, a resident with dementia and cognitive deficits was found in her room taking two unidentified pills, with no documentation indicating where the medication originated or how many pills had been ingested. The nurse on duty was unaware of the source or type of medication, and there was no record of the resident's morning medications being administered. The incident was not documented at the time it occurred, and the medications were removed and disposed of by a unit LPN without clear adherence to established procedures. In another case, a privately paid caregiver discovered a medication tablet on the floor of a resident's room and reported it to the unit nurse, who disposed of it in the room's garbage receptacle. Further observation revealed another tablet on the floor near the trash, which was identified as Omeprazole 20 mg, a medication not ordered for the resident. These events demonstrate lapses in medication storage and security, as medications were found unattended and accessible in resident areas, and disposal did not follow the facility's outlined protocols.