Failure to Secure and Properly Label Medications During Administration and Storage
Penalty
Summary
Staff failed to ensure proper storage and labeling of medications during medication administration and storage review. On two separate occasions, a registered nurse dispensed pills and liquid medications into a cup and left them, along with respiratory inhaled medications, unsecured on top of the medication cart before walking away. The nurse acknowledged that medications should be secured in a locked cart before leaving them unattended, and the DON confirmed that staff are expected to secure medications to ensure resident safety. Additionally, a review of the West Medication Cart revealed a supplement bottle with its original expiration date crossed off and a new date handwritten next to it. A licensed practical nurse stated that the supplement was brought in by a family member and that staff should not accept medications with altered expiration dates. The DON stated that expired medications should be discarded to ensure residents receive medications with the correct potency.