Medication Storage and Labeling Deficiencies
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified several deficiencies related to the storage and labeling of medications and biologicals. During an observation, the medication refrigerator was found to be at 32°F, which is below the recommended storage range of 36°F to 46°F for medications such as insulin and nemolizumab. The Director of Staff Development/Infection Preventionist and the DON both acknowledged that storing these medications at temperatures outside the manufacturer’s guidelines could compromise their effectiveness. Facility policy also required medications to be stored within the specified temperature range. Additionally, an opened inhaler used by a resident was found in a medication cart without a date indicating when it was opened. The LPN and DON confirmed that the inhaler should have been labeled with the date it was removed from its protective pouch, as the manufacturer’s instructions specify discarding the product within six weeks of opening. Facility policy required the date of opening to be recorded on multi-dose containers to ensure medications are not used beyond their effective period. A further deficiency was observed when an opened, undated bottle of glucose test strips was found in the same medication cart. The LPN was unable to determine the expiration date due to the missing open date, and the manufacturer’s label indicated the strips should be used within three months of opening. Facility policies required that the date of opening be recorded on multi-dose containers and that outdated or deteriorated medications be immediately removed from stock.