Expired Insulin Found on Medication Cart
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that all drugs and biologicals were labeled and disposed of in accordance with professional standards, specifically regarding expiration dates. During an observation of a medication cart, a box of Novolin 70/30 insulin prescribed to a male resident with type 2 diabetes was found to have been opened on 05/29/25 and remained on the cart past its 42-day expiration period, which should have been on or before 07/10/25. The expired medication was still present on the cart during the survey, despite the resident having non-expired medication available for administration. Interviews with the RN responsible for administering medications and the DON revealed that both were aware of the policy requiring regular checks for expired medications. The RN acknowledged the expired medication should have been removed, and the DON stated that both the charge nurse and the pharmacist are responsible for ensuring expired medications are not present on the carts. Review of facility policy and the medication's prescribing information confirmed the requirement for proper labeling and timely disposal of opened medications.