Delayed Treatment and Medication Unavailability for Yeast Infection
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a resident with multiple medical conditions, including skin infection, cognitive communication deficit, and Parkinson's disease, reported pain and burning in the vaginal area. Despite these complaints being documented in the medical record, there was no evidence that the physician was notified until nearly two weeks later, when the resident herself brought the issue to the attention of the facility's nurse practitioner. The nurse practitioner subsequently ordered miconazole cream for the resident's symptoms, but the medication was not administered on several documented dates because it was not available in the facility. Pharmacy delivery records showed no evidence that the medication was delivered during the relevant period. Further review and staff interviews confirmed that the resident continued to complain of vaginal discomfort and did not receive the prescribed treatment in a timely manner. The resident reported informing nurses multiple times about her symptoms and the recurring nature of her yeast infections following antibiotic use, but stated that no action was taken until she contacted her own doctor. Facility staff were unable to explain why the medication was not delivered or administered as ordered, and documentation confirmed the lack of timely treatment. Facility policy required medications to be administered safely, timely, and as prescribed, which was not followed in this case.