Unlocked Wound Care Cart with Medications and Supplies
Penalty
Summary
A wound care treatment cart was observed unlocked in front of the 100 hall nursing station, containing various drugs and biologicals such as betadine solution, hydrogen peroxide, triple antibiotic ointment, nystatin cream, diclofenac sodium gel, iodoform packing strips, lidocaine cream, and assorted bandages. The cart was not assigned to any staff member and staff interviewed were unsure who last used it. Facility policy requires all carts, including wound care carts, to be locked when not in use, and only authorized personnel are permitted access to drugs and biologicals. Interviews with an LVN, the DON, and the Administrator confirmed that the cart should have been locked and that leaving it unsecured was against facility policy and procedure. The facility's medication policy specifies that all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments and only accessible to authorized staff. The unlocked cart was accessible to anyone in the area, and the staff acknowledged that residents could potentially access and ingest or use the items inside.