Expired Medications Not Discarded per Manufacturer Guidelines
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors found that the facility failed to properly discard expired medications in accordance with manufacturer guidelines in both the South Wing and North Wing medication storage rooms. Specifically, seven doses of expired Spikevax (Moderna COVID-19 vaccine) were discovered in the South Wing refrigerator, with the expiration date clearly marked on the carton. There was no indication of when the vaccines had been thawed, and the vaccines remained available for use despite being expired. Staff interviews revealed that medication checks were supposed to occur weekly, but the expired vaccines had not been removed as required. Additionally, an opened bottle of Latanoprost eye drops, prescribed for a resident with glaucoma and severe cognitive impairment, was found expired and improperly stored in the North Wing refrigerator. The bottle had been opened beyond the manufacturer's recommended period for use and storage, yet remained accessible for administration. Nursing staff could not explain why the expired medication was still present, and the DON confirmed that expired medications should have been discarded according to guidelines. The facility's failure to follow proper medication storage and disposal protocols led to the deficiency.