F0761

E

Expired Medications and Incomplete Refrigerator Temperature Monitoring

Nampa, Idaho Survey Completed on 01-23-2026

Penalty

No penalty information released

Summary

Surveyors identified a deficiency related to medication labeling and storage when they observed expired medications on two medication carts and in the medication storage room, as well as incomplete temperature monitoring of medication refrigerators. During inspection of the East Hall medication cart with an LPN present, multiple expired items were found, including glucose gel, aspirin 81 mg, fexofenadine, TUMS, vitamin D, aspirin 325 mg, and diphenhydramine, with expiration dates ranging from April to December of the prior year. The LPN stated she did not know who was responsible for ensuring medications in her cart were not expired. On another hall’s medication cart inspected with an RN present, expired zinc, aspirin 325 mg, and vitamin E were found, and the RN similarly reported being unsure who was responsible for checking expiration dates. In the facility’s medication storage room, an additional expired bottle of zinc was observed.

Further inspection of the medication storage room with the ADON revealed that temperature logs for the specimen, vaccine, and medication refrigerators had not been updated since the morning shift several days earlier. The ADON confirmed that refrigerator temperatures had not been checked since that time and stated that cart nurses were responsible for checking and recording refrigerator temperatures every shift. The DON later stated that the expired medications in the medication carts and storage room should have been removed by nursing staff. The facility’s written policy on Medication Labeling and Storage required that discontinued, outdated, or deteriorated medications or biologicals be addressed by contacting the dispensing pharmacy for instructions on returning or destroying these items.