Failure to Discard Outdated Medications and Ensure Proper Labeling
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to properly discard outdated medications and ensure appropriate labeling and storage of drugs and biologicals, as required by facility policy and manufacturer guidelines. During a review of the medication room and a medication cart, surveyors observed an open vial of Tubersol without a date indicating when it was opened, as well as an open Lantus insulin pen with no open date. Additionally, two open Aspart insulin pens were found with open dates that indicated they were past the 28-day usage period recommended by the manufacturer. The facility policy requires that outdated, contaminated, or deteriorated medications be immediately removed from stock, and manufacturer guidelines specify discard dates for these medications. During interviews, an LPN confirmed the presence of the undated and outdated medications and acknowledged that staff were unable to determine the appropriate discard dates for the Tubersol and Lantus insulin pen. The LPN also confirmed that the Aspart insulin pens, Lantus insulin pen, and Tubersol should have been discarded according to policy and manufacturer instructions. These findings demonstrate that the facility did not consistently follow procedures for labeling, dating, and discarding medications, resulting in the presence of outdated and improperly labeled drugs in both the medication room and on the medication cart.