Medication Labeling, Dating, and Storage Deficiencies
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified that the facility failed to ensure medications and biologicals were properly labeled, dated, and stored according to professional standards and facility policy. During observations, multiple instances were noted where medications, including inhalers, insulin, eye drops, and supplements, lacked open dates or were left unlabeled. For example, an LPN confirmed that a Med Pass 2.0 supplement on the medication cart was not dated when opened, and an RN acknowledged leaving medication unattended on top of a medication cart in the hallway. Additionally, several residents' medications, such as inhalers and insulin, were found without required open dates, despite pharmacy labels specifying expiration periods after opening. Further inspection of medication storage areas revealed the presence of expired and undated medications and medical supplies. Surveyors found numerous expired items, including vacutainer devices, lubricating jelly packets, blood tubes, syringes, and skin repair cream, as well as undated and open medication packages for several residents. Staff interviews confirmed that these items were expired and should have been removed from storage. The facility's policies require that expired or discontinued medications be returned or destroyed and that all medication storage compartments remain locked and not left unattended. Additional deficiencies were observed on medication carts, where open, unlabeled, and undated medications and supplies were found, including inhalers, nasal sprays, eye drops, and other treatments. Staff interviews with LPNs and the DON confirmed that medications such as eye drops, inhalers, and nebulizer packets should be dated when opened and that expired items should be disposed of. Despite the facility's stated practice of conducting audits and checking dates before use, these lapses in medication management were directly observed during the survey.