Failure to Properly Label and Dispose of Ophthalmic Medications
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors observed that the facility failed to ensure proper labeling and timely disposal of ophthalmic medications, specifically eye drops and ointments, in accordance with professional standards. During inspection of two medication carts, several opened eye drop bottles were found either lacking an open date or being used beyond the recommended four-week period after opening. For example, one resident's artificial tears were open and dated over three months prior, while another resident's latanoprost solution had no open date but was nearly empty. Additional observations revealed other eye drop bottles and ointments with either missing open dates or open dates exceeding the four-week usage guideline. Interviews with LPNs confirmed the absence of open dates on some medications and the use of products past the recommended timeframe. The review of The International Pharmacopoeia guidance indicated that multidose ophthalmic drop preparations should be used for up to four weeks after opening. These findings affected six residents whose medications were stored on the observed carts, and the facility census at the time was 65.