Failure to Properly Store and Label Medications on Medication Carts
Penalty
Summary
Surveyor observations and staff interviews revealed that the facility failed to store and label drugs and biologicals in accordance with professional standards and facility policy for two medication carts. On the Portside Unit medication cart, a Breo Ellipta inhaler was found opened and labeled with a date indicating it was expired, and the RN present acknowledged the inhaler was expired. The manufacturer's instructions specify that the inhaler should be discarded six weeks after opening, which was not followed. On the Starboard Unit medication cart, several inhalers and a nasal spray were found opened and not dated, including a Trelegy Ellipta inhaler, a Breyna inhaler, a Flovent inhaler, a Fluticasone propionate nasal spray, and two Albuterol inhalers. Facility policy and manufacturer instructions require these medications to be dated when opened and discarded after a specified period or number of uses. The RN present confirmed that these medications were opened and not dated. The Director of Nursing Services was unable to provide evidence that the expired inhaler was removed or that the other medications were properly dated when opened.