Unattended Unlocked Medication Cart with Keys Left Exposed
Penalty
Summary
A medication cart was observed unlocked and unattended in the hallway near the nurse's station, with the cart keys left on top of the cart. Items found on the cart included an open bottle of docusate sodium, a glucometer, glucometer test strips, several empty blister packs of medication, six pre-poured cups of water without covers, an insulin syringe cover, and a cell phone. During this time, a resident was seen walking by the cart while the assigned nurse was inside a resident's room with the door closed. The nurse later confirmed that she left the cart unlocked and unattended, with the keys on top, because she needed to attend to a resident quickly and did not request assistance from other staff. The nursing supervisor stated that the medication cart should be locked at all times when unattended and that items, including keys, should not be left on top of the cart. Facility policy requires medication carts to be locked and secured at all times when unattended, with keys kept in the possession of the assigned nurse, and prohibits storage of unrelated items on the cart.