Failure to Assess Resident for Self-Administration of Medication
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to assess a resident for self-administration of medications prior to allowing the resident to keep medication at their bedside. A resident with a history of nontraumatic intracranial hemorrhage, COPD, and anxiety disorder was admitted and had a BIMS score indicating intact cognition, but required moderate assistance with all activities of daily living. The resident's care plan did not indicate the ability to self-administer medication, and there was no physician order or documented assessment for self-administration in the medical record. Despite this, repeated observations over several days showed the resident kept an albuterol inhaler at their bedside. Interviews revealed that staff were aware of the inhaler at the bedside but had not questioned the resident about it or followed the facility's process for self-administration of medications. The RN was unsure of the process and only removed the medication after being made aware of the issue. The DON confirmed that the facility policy required an assessment and physician order for self-administration, neither of which had been completed for this resident. The facility policy also required self-administration to be reflected in the care plan, which was not done.