Delayed Medication Administration During Power Outage
Penalty
Summary
During a planned power outage, the facility failed to provide medications on time to 50 out of 113 residents. Nursing staff were unable to access the electronic Medication Administration Record (eMAR), resulting in delayed administration of scheduled morning medications. Interviews with the Assistant Director of Nursing and a licensed nurse confirmed that medications intended for administration between 8 A.M. and 10 A.M. were instead given after the power was restored, with some medications administered as late as 1:08 P.M. This delay was confirmed through record review and staff interviews. One resident, admitted with Parkinson's Disease and other diagnoses, did not receive any of their prescribed morning medications within the required timeframe. Medications such as Rytary, which is critical for managing Parkinson's symptoms, were administered late. The Director of Nursing acknowledged the importance of timely medication administration, especially for conditions like Parkinson's Disease, and confirmed that the facility did not meet this requirement for the resident. Facility policy requires adherence to the six rights of medication administration, including timely delivery, which was not followed during the outage.