Pain Medication Administered Outside Physician Order Parameters
Penalty
Summary
Facility staff failed to administer pain medication in accordance with physician orders for two residents. For one resident with chronic respiratory failure, anoxic brain damage, and pain, the physician ordered Oxycodone 2.5 mg every 8 hours as needed for moderate to severe pain, specifically for pain levels of 7-10. However, medication administration records showed that Oxycodone was given multiple times for pain levels of 5 and 6, which were below the ordered threshold. Another resident with chronic respiratory failure, cerebral infarction, and pain had a physician order for Oxycodone-Acetaminophen 5-325 mg, 2 tablets every 6 hours as needed for severe pain, specifically for pain levels of 6-10. Despite this, records indicated that the medication was administered for pain levels of 4 and 5. The DON confirmed that staff administered pain medication outside the parameters of the physician's orders for both residents.