Drugs and Biologicals Left Unsecured in Resident Room
Penalty
Summary
Staff failed to store all drugs and biologicals in locked compartments as required, resulting in a tube of uncapped Zinc Oxide ointment and a bottle of Antiseptic Skin Cleanser being left in a resident's room. During observation, these items were found on the resident's nightstand and refrigerator, respectively. The resident reported that staff must have left the items in the room that morning and confirmed that staff typically keep all medications. Interviews with nursing staff revealed that an aide had applied the zinc oxide ointment earlier and inadvertently left it behind while responding to another call light. The nurse was unsure about the origin of the antiseptic cleanser and confirmed that such items should not be left in resident rooms. Facility policy explicitly states that medications are not to be left at the bedside. Both the Director of Nursing and the Administrator acknowledged during interviews that these items should not have been left in the resident's room. The staff involved admitted to being aware of the policy but failed to follow it due to being rushed, resulting in unauthorized access to medications and biologicals.