Improper Medication Storage and Labeling in Medication Cart
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified a deficiency in the facility’s medication storage practices for a census of 87 residents when medications were not stored and labeled according to accepted professional standards and the facility’s own policy. During an inspection of the C wing medication cart with the DON, surveyors found 10 loose pills inside the cart, which the DON acknowledged could potentially be mistakenly administered to residents or taken by staff. Six medications were found without open dates, despite the facility’s policy requiring nurses to place a date opened sticker on medications when the manufacturer’s seal is broken, and the DON stated that open dates were necessary to ensure medications were not outdated and that administering such medications could potentially cause adverse effects or be less therapeutic. Additionally, six used insulin pens belonging to different residents were found comingled in the same drawer, and the DON confirmed that the pens should be prevented from touching each other because that could cause cross contamination. These observations, interviews, and record review demonstrated that the facility failed to follow its policy titled “Storage of Medications,” which required medications to be stored safely and properly, medication storage areas to be kept clean and free of clutter, and opened medications to be dated when first used.
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