Failure to Timely Administer Admission Medications Due to Order Processing Delay
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that a newly admitted resident received timely and appropriate medication administration upon admission. The resident, who was admitted with multiple serious medical conditions including acute myocardial infarction, coronary angioplasty, heart failure, COPD, and psychosis, had physician orders for eight prescribed medications to address these conditions. Upon arrival, the Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) on duty was unable to locate the resident's admission packet containing hospital orders and did not enter any of the resident's medications into the electronic system. As a result, the resident's medication orders were not processed or administered as required. The delay in entering and processing the medication orders was confirmed by the Registered Nurse Supervisor (RNS), who began entering the orders the following day, and by the facility Administrator, who acknowledged that medications should be ordered immediately upon a resident's arrival. Review of the facility's policy indicated that medications are to be ordered and received from the pharmacy on a timely basis, with accurate records maintained. The failure to follow this policy resulted in a delay in administering essential medications for the resident's serious medical conditions.