Failure to Remove Discontinued Medication from Storage
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that drugs and biologicals were labeled and stored in accordance with professional standards, as evidenced by the presence of 15 hydrocortisone acetate 25mg suppositories in the medication storage room that were labeled for a resident who had already been discharged. The medication, which had an expiration date of 05/2025, was found in the fridge during an observation, despite the resident's discharge on 04/12/2025. Record review confirmed that the medication was prescribed for rectal pain and was administered as ordered during the resident's stay. Interviews with staff revealed that the ADON was responsible for checking the medication storage room for expired medications, with the last check reportedly occurring the previous week, though the exact date was not recalled. The DON confirmed that the ADON was tasked with weekly checks and that she was responsible for ensuring this process was followed. Facility policy required that discontinued or outdated drugs be returned to the pharmacy or destroyed, but this was not adhered to in this instance, resulting in the continued storage of medication belonging to a discharged resident.