Failure to Ensure Medication Administration at Bedside
Penalty
Summary
A deficiency occurred when a nurse failed to remain at the bedside to ensure a resident took all prescribed medications. The resident, who was cognitively intact and dependent on renal dialysis, had a physician's order for Lanthanum Carbonate 500 mg chewable tablets to be taken before meals. The resident's care plan did not include self-administration of medication, and there was no assessment in the medical record to determine if self-administration was safe for this resident. During observation, a large white pill was found in a cup on the resident's bedside table. The resident reported taking the medication before meals and stated she intended to take the pill but had forgotten. Interviews with the nurse, DON, and administrator confirmed that the nurse was expected to watch the resident take all medications before leaving the room, but this did not occur, resulting in the medication being left at the bedside.