F0761

E

Improper Medication Security and Unlabeled Lancet Storage

Rio Rancho, New Mexico Survey Completed on 02-11-2026

Penalty

Fine: $17,215

Summary

The deficiency involves failure to ensure proper storage and security of medications and medical supplies. During an observation of the medication cart in the 500-hall at 8:39 am, several packs of one resident’s medications, including Pravastatin, Methocarbamol, and Buspirone, were found left unattended on top of the medication cart with no nursing staff present. The ADON confirmed that these medications should not have been left on top of the cart unattended, and the CMA responsible for the cart acknowledged she should have locked up the medications before walking away and confirmed they should not have been left unattended.

Additional observations in the medication storage room for the 200, 300, and 400 halls at 2:36 pm revealed lancets had been removed from their original packaging and stored loosely in a large bin without labeling or expiration dates. In an interview at 2:37 pm, the DON stated that when the facility receives a new shipment of lancets, they are removed from the packaging and placed into a large bin, and confirmed that storing the lancets in this manner was unacceptable and should not be done.