Unlocked Medication and Wound Care Carts Left Unattended
Penalty
Summary
The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to ensure that all drugs and biologicals were stored in locked compartments when not in use, as required by facility policy and professional standards. During an observation, a medication cart assigned to an LVN on the 400 hall and a wound care cart located by the nurse station were found unlocked and unattended. The surveyor was able to open the top drawers of both carts, confirming they were not secured. Multiple medications in bulk bottles, supplies, and blister packs were easily accessible for removal. A resident in a wheelchair was observed sitting approximately one foot away from the unlocked medication cart. In an interview, the LVN responsible for the 400 hall medication cart and the wound care cart stated he had forgotten to lock the carts when he stepped away briefly to get something. He acknowledged the importance of locking the carts to prevent residents from accessing medications and stated that if a resident obtained medications, they could take something they were not supposed to and become sick. The ADON and DON both stated that all medication and wound care carts should be locked when not in use, and that leaving them unlocked and unattended could allow unauthorized individuals to access the contents, potentially resulting in drug diversion or accidental ingestion. Review of the facility’s Storage of Medications policy confirmed that all compartments containing drugs and biologicals, including carts, must be locked when not in use and that carts used to transport such items must not be left unattended if open or otherwise available to others.
We Help Long-Term Care Teams Stay Survey-Ready
We process and analyze inspection reports and plan of correction using AI to extract insights and trends so providers can improve care quality and stay ahead of compliance risks.