Failure to Discard Expired Insulin on Medication Cart
Penalty
No penalty information released
The penalty, as released by CMS, applies to the entire inspection this citation is part of, covering all citations and f-tags issued, not just this specific f-tag. For the complete original report, please refer to the 'Details' section.
Summary
The facility failed to appropriately discard an outdated medication on one of three medication carts reviewed. According to facility policy, RNs and LPNs are required to check expiration dates and dispose of expired medications, with insulin specifically to be discarded 28 days after opening, regardless of the manufacturer’s expiration date. During an observation of the Unit 700 medication cart, an open NovoLog FlexPen was found with an open date that exceeded the 28-day limit. At the time of observation, an LPN confirmed that the insulin pen was beyond the allowed usage period and should have been discarded. This finding was based on review of facility policy, manufacturer guidelines, and staff interview.