F0880

D

Improper Handling of Oral Medications During Medication Pass

Lowell, Indiana Survey Completed on 02-13-2026

Penalty

No penalty information released

Summary

Surveyors identified a deficiency in the facility’s infection prevention and control practices during medication administration. On 2/11/26 at 9:12 a.m., an LPN was observed preparing medications for Resident 60, which included 10 pills. The LPN popped each pill out of the medication cards one at a time directly into her hand and then transferred them from her hand into a medication cup before administering them to the resident. Later that morning, at 11:17 a.m., the DON was informed that the LPN had touched the medications with her hands. The facility’s written Medication Administration (Medication Pass Procedure) policy stated that medications are to be opened without contaminating, indicating that the observed practice did not follow the facility’s established infection control standards.