Failure to Label Opened Medications and Remove Expired Medical Supplies
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified that the facility failed to properly label and date medications after opening, as required by facility policy and professional standards. Specifically, in two of three medication carts reviewed, several topical medications, including diclofenac sodium gel, triamcinolone cream, and ammonium lactate cream, were found in use with broken seals but without the required date opened and expiration date stickers. Staff interviews confirmed that these medications were in use and should have been labeled according to policy. Additionally, in one of two medication rooms reviewed, multiple expired medical supplies were found in storage, including normal saline flushes, syringes, angiocaths of various sizes, culture and sensitivity test kits, blood drawing needles, claves, hemoccult developer, and hemoccult test screening cards. Staff interviews, including with the DON, confirmed that expired equipment should not be in circulation and that opened medications should be properly labeled, as per facility policy.