Expired Catheters Not Removed from Medication Room
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that expired gentle female intermittent catheters were removed from the medication room, as required by their internal auditing procedures. During an observation, unopened catheters with a manufacturer expiration date of 06-01-24 were found stored in the medication room. Interviews with staff revealed that the medication room was supposed to be audited for expired supplies daily by the ADON and twice weekly by Central Supply Personnel, with oversight by the DON. However, the presence of expired supplies indicated that these audits were not consistently or effectively performed. Staff members acknowledged that expired supplies should have been disposed of immediately and recognized the risk of infection associated with their use. Further interviews revealed inconsistencies in the auditing process and a lack of a specific policy addressing expired medical supplies. Central Supply Personnel stated that a monthly clean sweep was performed, in addition to twice-weekly checks, but was unaware of the expired supplies found. The DON and other staff members admitted to being unaware of the expired supplies and cited possible oversight. Additionally, an RN confirmed that there was no policy specifically covering expired medical supplies. These findings demonstrate a breakdown in the facility's processes for monitoring and removing expired medical supplies from resident care areas.