Failure to Properly Dispose of Discontinued Medications
Penalty
Summary
Facility staff failed to follow established policy and procedure regarding the disposal of discontinued medications, as evidenced by the observation of three unidentified loose pills found on the floor of the medication storage room. During a survey, the Infection Preventionist Nurse (IPN) confirmed the presence of these pills, which included a light purple round pill, a yellow oblong pill, and a white round pill. The IPN was unable to identify the pills and acknowledged the risk that loose pills could be inadvertently moved out of the medication room and potentially accessed by residents. Further interview with a Registered Nurse (RN) confirmed that having loose pills on the floor was unacceptable and not in accordance with facility policy, which requires discontinued medications to be disposed of in a designated container for incineration. Review of the facility's policy indicated that all discontinued or outdated medications should be placed in a secure, designated location for destruction, which was not followed in this instance.