Expired Medications Not Discarded per Policy and Manufacturer Guidelines
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to properly discard expired medications as required by both facility policy and manufacturer guidelines. During an observation of the B Hall medication cart, a Novolog insulin vial was found with an open date of May 24, 2025, which exceeded the 28-day usage period specified in the facility's policy and the manufacturer's instructions. Additionally, in the [NAME] Wing medication room, two open Afluria influenza vaccine vials were found, one opened on December 24, 2024, and the other on May 20, 2025, both of which were also past the 28-day usage period after opening as per manufacturer guidelines. The Director of Nursing confirmed via email that the Afluria multi-dose vials are only good for 28 days once opened and acknowledged that expired vaccines had been removed from the medication refrigerators. During an interview, both the Nursing Home Administrator and the DON confirmed that medications are expected to be stored and discarded according to policy and manufacturer guidelines. These findings indicate that the facility did not consistently follow its own policies or manufacturer recommendations regarding the storage and timely disposal of expired medications.