Expired Medications Not Removed from Storage
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that expired medications and biologicals were removed from the medication storage refrigerator, as required by facility policy and professional standards. During an observation, surveyors found one dose of Covid-19 vaccine and thirteen doses of Influenza Vaccine Adjuvanted with expiration dates that had already passed. Interviews with an LPN revealed uncertainty about who was responsible for discarding expired medications and how to properly dispose of them. The DON stated that while the pharmacist conducts monthly audits, nurses are expected to check for expired medications weekly during the day shift. Despite these policies, expired medications remained in the storage area, indicating a lapse in adherence to established procedures.