Medications Left Unattended at Bedside for Dependent Resident
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a resident, who was admitted with diagnoses including type II diabetes mellitus, difficulty walking, and muscle weakness, was found with a medication cup containing five different pills at her bedside. The resident had been assessed as mildly cognitively impaired and totally dependent on staff for activities of daily living, and had indicated she did not wish to self-administer medications. Physician orders required several medications to be administered by staff in the morning. During observation and interviews, the resident stated that staff left the medications on her bedside table without explaining what they were, and she had not taken them. Further interviews with nursing staff confirmed that medications should not be left at the bedside for residents who are not authorized to self-administer. The nurse who administered the medications admitted to leaving the room without ensuring the resident took the medications. Facility policy requires medications to be administered safely and as prescribed, and only allows self-administration if the resident is assessed and approved by the care team. The failure to follow these procedures resulted in the resident's medications being left unattended at the bedside.