Inspection Findings:
Based on interview and record review it was determined the facility failed to ensure Staff 6 (LPN) adhered to professional standards for 1 of 7 sampled residents (#101) reviewed for significant medication error. As a result, Resident 101 experienced a decline in condition and required hospitalization for a drug overdose. Findings include:
On 8/30/23 the Past Noncompliance was corrected when the facility completed a root cause analysis of the incident and determined Staff 6 failed to adhere to professional standards of practice for medication administration.
An interview on 3/28/24, with Staff 1 (Administrator) and Staff 2 (DNS) revealed the facility's plan of correction included the following:
-Staff education completed for all CMAs and LPNs on: Administering Medications Policy, 7 Rights of Medication Administration, 5 Ways to Identify Residents and medication pass audit.
-DNS completed education with the responsible nurse.
-DNS or designee will conduct random audits of CMAs or LNs weekly for completing the seven rights of medication administration and how to identify residents for four weeks, then at least monthly for three months.
OAR 8510450050 "Scope of Practice Standards for Licensed Practical Nurses" indicated the following:
(A) Implementing treatments and therapy, appropriate to the context of care, including, but not limited to, medication administration, nursing activities, nursing, medical and interdisciplinary orders; health teaching and health counseling.
(c) Be knowledgeable of the professional nursing practice standards applicable to LPN practice and adhere to those standards.
OAR 8510450070 Conduct Derogatory to the Standards of Nursing
(4)Conduct related to communication:
(a)Failure to accurately document nursing interventions and nursing practice implementation.
(b)Failure to document nursing interventions and nursing practice implementation in a timely, accurate, thorough, and clear manner. This includes failing to document a late entry within a reasonable time period.
(c)Entering inaccurate, incomplete, falsified, or altered documentation into a health record or agency records. This includes but is not limited to:
Failing to communicate information regarding the client's status to other individuals who are authorized to receive information and have a need to know.
(8)Conduct related to other federal or state statute or rule violations:
(q) Failing to dispense or administer medications in a manner consistent with state and federal law.
Resident 101 was re-admitted to the facility in 8/2023 with diagnoses including recent placement of a cardiac pacemaker (implanted medical device that generates electrical pulses to chambers of the heart), respiratory failure and end stage kidney disease with dialysis (clinical purification of blood).
A Facility Reported Incident indicated on the evening of 8/16/23, Resident 101 received ten medications prescribed for Resident 106. Resident 101 was administered the following medications:
-Advair (a steroid medication),
-Clozaril (an antipsychotic medication),
-Olanzapine (an antipsychotic medication),
-Metformin (an anti-diabetic medication),
-D-Mannose (a UTI prevention medication),
-Flomax (an alpha blocker medication),
-Combivent (a beta 2-adrenergic agonist medication),
-Tylenol (an analgesic),
-Vitamin C and,
-Systane eyedrops.
The report indicated the medications was given by Staff 6 (LPN) just after 7:00 PM. The report indicated Staff 6 realized he had administered the wrong medications to Resident 101 and the resident had a decrease in her/his level of consciousness. The physician was notified and the resident was sent out to the hospital on 8/17/24 at 1:09 AM.
A Hospital History and Physical dated 8/17/23, indicated on arrival the resident had an altered mental status related to an unintentional drug overdose. The plan was to address the acute encephalopathy (alteration of mental status due to systemic factors) due to the drug overdose. While at the nursing facility the resident was administered the following medications: metformin 2,000 mgs (an antidiabetic medication),
clozapine 175 mgs (an antipsychotic medication), Olanzapine 5 mgs (an antipsychotic medication) and seven other medications prescribed to another resident. The clinical impression included metformin and an antipsychotic overdose.
On 3/29/24 at 8:15 AM, Staff 6 stated he gave Resident 101 ten medications prescribed for Resident 106. Staff 6 stated while giving Resident 101 the medications, she/he stated this "was a lot of medications." Staff 6 stated he did not follow up on Resident 101's statement. Staff 6 stated it was a "lapse in his practice" for not verifying the correct resident before administering the medications. Staff 6 stated he realized later he had made the mistake. Staff 6 stated he also went back and gave Resident 101 her/his prescribed medications after being aware of his initial medication error. The resident received mirtazapine (an antidepressant medication), Eliquis (a blood thinner medication), vitamin D and artificial tears eye drops. Medication documentation indicated the resident received those medications at 8:30 PM which was after the 7:00 PM medication error and she/he was also administered nitroglycerin (heart medication) at 10:39 PM. Staff 6 stated, "I should have checked with someone before giving her/him additional medications on top of the incorrect medications. I just used my nursing judgement."
On 4/1/24 at 1:40 PM, Staff 1 (Administrator) and Staff 2 (DNS) confirmed Staff 6 made a significant medication error, which resulted in Resident 101 being hospitalized. Staff 1 acknowledged Staff 6 did not follow protocol for the safe administration of medications and failed to contact the physician prior to administering additional medications to Resident 101. Staff 1 also confirmed Staff 6 failed to provide appropriate documentation in the medical record for the other resident who's medications were administered to Resident 101.
Refer to F760