Failure to Discard Expired Medications and Label Opened Medications
Penalty
Summary
Surveyors identified that the facility did not follow its own medication storage policy regarding expiration dating and labeling of opened medications and supplies. In the 2nd floor medication storage room, an open multidose vial of tuberculin solution was observed without an open date label, despite facility policy requiring certain medications to be dated when opened due to shortened expiration periods. In the same storage room, a box of 25-gauge needles with an expiration date of February 28, 2026, remained present after that date, and an open vial of insulin lispro was labeled with an open date of January 17, 2026, indicating it had not been discarded in accordance with beyond-use dating requirements. On the 2nd floor medication cart, surveyors observed an open bottle of LiquaCel and an open Lantus insulin pen, both lacking open date labels, even though these products require shortened expiration dating once opened. Staff interviews confirmed that tuberculin solution, LiquaCel bottles, insulin pens, and other specified medications and supplies are expected to be labeled with open dates when first used and that expired medications and supplies should be discarded. The Nursing Home Administrator and DON acknowledged that the facility’s expectation is for medications to be labeled with open dates and for expired items to be disposed of, which had not occurred in these instances.
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