Failure to Administer Medications Within Scheduled Timeframes
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to administer medications to a resident according to the scheduled times as required by professional standards of practice and facility policy. Multiple instances were identified where medications were given outside the required 60-minute window, including delays of several hours for medications such as Lyrica, Lasix, Cholecalciferol, Potassium Chloride, Sennosides-Docusate Sodium, Wixela Inhub, Calcium Carbonate, Allopurinol, Tylenol, Apixaban, and Ipratropium-Albuterol. These delays were confirmed through a review of the Medication Administration Audit Report and were not in accordance with the facility's Medication Administration Policy, which mandates administration within 60 minutes of the scheduled time unless otherwise specified. During interviews, a resident reported frequent delays in receiving medications, stating that medications were never on time. The Unit Manager RN confirmed that on one occasion, a nurse's family emergency led to a delay, with a physician being notified, but could not provide explanations for other instances of late administration. The facility census at the time was 113, and the deficiency was identified as a random opportunity for discovery during the survey process.