Expired and Improperly Labeled Medications Found in Storage Room
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified that the facility failed to store medications and pharmaceutical products in accordance with expiration date guidelines in one of three medication storage areas, specifically the Pavilion medication storage room. During an observation, ten medication and supplement items were found to be either expired or had illegible expiration dates. These included bottles of Multi-Vitamin with Iron, Aspirin, Sodium Bicarbonate, Glucosamine and Chondroitin, Meclizine, Vitamin E, Guaifenesin Liquid, and Copper Glycinate. The expiration dates on these items ranged from February 2024 to June 2025, with one item having an illegible expiration date. A review of the facility's policy on Storage of Medications indicated that all medications should be stored according to manufacturer recommendations and regularly inspected for expiration and labeling by the consultant pharmacist. However, the presence of expired and improperly labeled medications was confirmed by an LPN during an interview, demonstrating that the facility did not ensure the timely removal of these items as required by both policy and regulatory standards.