Improper Disposal of Fentanyl Patch by Medication Aide
Penalty
Summary
A medication aide (MA) failed to properly dispose of a used Fentanyl transdermal patch for a female resident with diagnoses including colon cancer and a Stage IV pressure ulcer. During a medication pass, the MA removed the resident's used Fentanyl patch and discarded it in the trash, contrary to facility policy. The MA stated she believed this was the correct procedure and was unaware of any alternative method for disposal. The resident's care plan included administration of pain medication as ordered, and physician orders specified the use of a Fentanyl patch every 72 hours. Interviews with nursing staff, including an RN and the DON, confirmed that the correct procedure required the used Fentanyl patch to be destroyed in a drug buster solution with a nurse witness, and not to be thrown in the trash. The facility's policy also required a co-signature for removal and destruction of the patch. The DON acknowledged that in-services had been conducted in the past, but there was no current oversight or monitoring of the Fentanyl destruction process. The MA later retrieved the patch from the trash and, with guidance from other staff, disposed of it according to policy.