F0761

D

Expired OTC Medications Found on Medication Cart

Colorado Springs, Colorado Survey Completed on 02-26-2026

Penalty

No penalty information released

Summary

The deficiency involves the facility’s failure to ensure that over-the-counter (OTC) medications were stored and discarded in accordance with manufacturer expiration dates and facility policy. The facility’s House Stock Items policy required house stock medications to be stored in the original manufacturer’s container with the medication name, strength, expiration date, and lot number clearly visible. During an observation of a medication cart on the 300 east hall with an LPN, surveyors found multiple OTC medications with manufacturer expiration dates that had already passed, including CoQ10 100 mg, Calcium 500 mg, and Acetaminophen 500 mg. These medications remained on the cart despite being expired according to the dates printed on the manufacturer’s containers.

Staff interviews revealed inconsistent understanding and training regarding OTC medication expiration and storage. An RN reported she had been trained to write the open date on OTC medications and to discard them three months after that date. The LPN observed with the cart stated she was unsure whether OTC medications expired 30 days after opening or followed the manufacturer’s expiration date, did not know where to find the facility’s OTC storage and expiration policy, and was unsure why staff were writing open dates on OTC bottles, though she acknowledged that medications should be discarded if the manufacturer’s expiration date had passed. The DON stated that nursing staff were expected to reference the manufacturer’s expiration date on OTC medications, acknowledged that nurses were trained informally by other bedside staff, and confirmed the facility did not provide specific training on medication expiration dates for either pharmacy-dispensed or OTC medications. The DON stated that expired medications should not be administered because they could make a resident very sick.