Failure to Administer Medications Timely and According to Professional Standards
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to administer medications in accordance with professional standards and scheduled times for two residents. One resident's morning medications, including Hydroxyzine Pamoate, Lamotrigine, Levetiracetam, Metoprolol Succinate Extended Release, and Potassium Chloride, were repeatedly given late, with documented instances of administration occurring several hours after the scheduled 9:00 AM time. On one occasion, the Metoprolol was withheld due to low blood pressure, but the other medications were still administered late. The Medication Administration Record and audit reports confirmed multiple late administrations over several days. Another resident reported that evening medications were administered late on several occasions, sometimes as late as almost 11:00 PM, despite being scheduled for 5:00 PM and 9:00 PM. Audit reports corroborated these claims, showing repeated late administration of medications such as Haloperidol, Vitamin C, Donepezil Hydrochloride, and Naproxen. The Director of Nursing acknowledged that new nurses may have contributed to the delays, and the facility's policy requires medications to be administered at the right time as ordered by the physician.