Failure to Follow Professional Standards for Medication Administration
Penalty
Summary
A resident admitted with respiratory failure and generalized muscle weakness was assessed as unable to self-administer medications, as documented in the self-medication assessment. Despite this assessment, an observation revealed that the resident had multiple pills and a cup of liquid medication left at the bedside within reach, without nursing supervision. The resident stated familiarity with the medications and indicated that the nurse would leave the medications for self-administration, returning later to collect the empty cups. The resident also expressed a preference to take medications independently and did not require observation. Nurse interviews confirmed that medications were left at the bedside at the resident's request, and the nurse was unaware of the resident's assessment status regarding self-administration. The nurse acknowledged that medications should not have been left unattended. The Director of Nursing confirmed that the resident had been assessed as unable to self-administer medications and that the nurse should not have left the medications at the bedside. The administrator also confirmed that the resident should not have had medications left for self-administration, as per the assessment.