Improper medication labeling, expired drugs, and unsecured storage were found in the facility. Surveyors observed expired diphenhydramine and milk of magnesia, eye drops and insulin pens without open dates, and multiple bottles of latanoprost and Refresh Tears without required labeling on a medication cart. Surveyors also found a medication closet and a storage room left unlocked, with heparin syringes, IV fluids, and other supplies stored in areas accessible from resident hallways.
Expired and discontinued meds were found in a medication cart and expired IV antibiotics were stored in the med room. An LPN, RN, and ADON confirmed the meds should have been removed, including gabapentin for a resident whose order had been discontinued and oxycodone for a resident who had already been discharged.
Medication storage and labeling were deficient in multiple med carts and med storage areas. Surveyors found opened ophthalmic drops, an opened insulin vial, and an opened lorazepam vial without date-opened labels, along with loose pills left in cart drawers without containers or labels. An LPN, RN, and DON stated nurses were responsible for cleaning carts, labeling opened meds, and removing dropped pills from drawers.
Improper storage and labeling of medications and biologicals were found in a medication cart and two medication rooms. An expired bisacodyl bottle remained in stock, an opened Spiriva inhaler for a resident was not dated, an RSV vaccine kit for a discharged resident was still stored in the refrigerator, and two opened Tubersol PPD vials remained in use beyond the allowed time after opening.
Expired and discontinued medications were found in multiple medication carts and storage rooms, along with a Drug Buster stored in the same drawer as liquid meds. Surveyors found discontinued meds left in resident drawers, expired insulin, flush syringes, ceftriaxone, and eye drops, and one medication without an expiration date visible. Staff said nurses were responsible for checking expiration dates and removing outdated meds.
Medication storage and labeling were not maintained in two medication carts. Several ophthalmic solutions and inhalers were found without open dates, insulin labeling requirements were not met as described in the report, loose unidentified pills were present in the carts, and expired prednisone packs were also found. Staff gave differing accounts of who was responsible for cleaning and maintaining the carts, while the DON stated that all medication should be labeled and dated when opened.
Medication storage and labeling were not maintained for one medication cart and two storage rooms. Surveyors found a used inhaler for a resident without an open date, expired floor stock medications, eye drops for a discharged resident still stored in the refrigerator, and two opened Tubersol vials without open dates. RN and DON stated the items should have been dated, removed, or discarded as required.
Expired insulin, testing supplies, and Banatrol Plus packets were found in medication carts and medication storage rooms. An expired Insulin Lispro pen for a resident was observed in one cart, while expired E-swab and urine collection kits and expired blood collection kits were found in a storage room. Additional expired Banatrol Plus packets were found in another cart and storage room, and staff acknowledged the items were expired.
Multiple medication carts and storage areas contained opened eye drops, an inhaler, a PPD vial, glucometer test strips, and glucose control solutions that were not labeled with the date opened. Staff on several units stated the items were usable until the printed expiration date, while the DON said there was confusion about which medications required open dates and acknowledged that patient-specific meds and glucometer supplies still needed labeling.
Medication Labeling and Storage Deficiencies: A survey found that drugs and biologicals were not labeled and stored according to accepted standards in one med cart and one med storage room. A multi-dose Latanoprost bottle, an Incruse Ellipta inhaler, and Ozempic pens were kept in labeled pharmacy boxes, but the individual medications were not labeled with the resident name and date opened. An RN and the DON gave differing explanations about whether the Ozempic pens needed individual labels.
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