Medication Storage and Self-Administration Assessment Deficiency
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency was identified when a bottle of nasal spray was found on a resident's bedside table without proper assessment for self-administration of medication. The resident, who had been admitted with diagnoses including diabetes mellitus and hypertension, was observed to have an intact thought process and required supervision for activities of daily living. The nasal spray had been brought in by the resident's daughters, and the resident reported using it that morning. Both a CNA and an LVN confirmed the presence of the nasal spray at the bedside, with the LVN stating she was unaware of the medication being there and acknowledging that medications should not be kept at the bedside due to the risk of access by other residents. Further review and interviews revealed that the facility's policy required an interdisciplinary team assessment before allowing residents to self-administer medications, and that such medications must be stored securely and not accessible to other residents. The Director of Nursing confirmed that the resident had not been assessed for self-administration and emphasized the importance of secure storage to prevent potential accidents. The failure to assess the resident and to store the medication securely constituted a breach of facility policy and created a situation where other residents could potentially access and misuse the medication.