Finding Description
Based on staff interviews, record review, and review of the facility's policy titled, Use of Psychotropic Medication, the facility failed to ensure that psychotropic medications were not ordered as needed (PRN) for more than 14 days unless clinically indicated for four of eight residents (R) (R16, R25, R238, and R239) reviewed for unnecessary medications. This deficient practice had the potential to adversely affect R16, R25, R238, and R239's highest practicable mental, physical, and psychosocial well-being.
Findings include:
Review of the facility's policy titled, Use of Psychotropic Medication, dated 8/28/2023, revealed the Policy Explanation and Compliance Guidelines section included .9. PRN orders for all psychotropic drugs shall be used only when the medication is necessary to treat a diagnosed specific condition that is documented in the clinical record and for a limited duration (i.e.14 days). a. If the attending physician or prescribing practitioner believes that it is appropriate for the PRN order to be extended beyond 14 days, he or she shall document their rationale in the resident's medical record and indicate the duration for the PRN order.
1. Review of R16's Physician's Orders revealed an order dated 7/17/2024 for lorazepam (a psychotropic medication used to treat anxiety) 0.5 milligrams (mg) oral tablet, one tablet by mouth every six hours as needed for anxiety. The order had a stop date of indefinite.
Review of R16's Electronic Medication Administration Record (EMAR) revealed lorazepam 0.5 mg was administered on 12/2/2024 at 1:42 pm, 12/5/2024 at 1:02 pm, 12/8/2024 at 11:05 pm, 12/19/2024 at 10:26 pm, 11/1/2024 at 4:13 pm, 11/5/2024 at 12:34 pm, 11/7/2024 at 8:33 am, 11/12/2024 at 1:15 pm, 10/2/2024 at 12:02 am, 10/15/2024 at 3:50 pm, 10/18/2024 at 2:37 am, 10/23/2024 at 9:56 am and 4:11 pm, 10/25/2024 at 5:31 pm, 10/26/2024 at 11:31 pm, and 10/29/2024 at 1:20 pm and 8:01 pm.
In an interview on 12/21/2024 at 9:33 am, Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) BB confirmed R16's physician's order for lorazepam oral tablet 0.5 mg one tablet PRN anxiety and confirmed there was no stop date for the order.
In an interview on 12/22/2204 at 11:45 am, LPN AA and LPN BB stated if a PRN medication was not administered in a 30-day period, the order would automatically be discontinued. They stated the nurses followed the physician's orders as they were written in the electronic medical record (EMR) and did not issue a medication stop date.
In an interview on 12/22/2024 at 12:55 pm, the Director of Nursing (DON) verified R16's physician's order dated 7/17/2024 for lorazepam 0.5 mg oral tablet, one tablet by mouth every six hours as needed for anxiety. She verified the order was dated 7/17/2024 and had a stop date of indefinite.
2. Review of R25s Physician's Orders revealed an order dated 9/17/2024 for lorazepam 0.5 mg oral tablet, one tablet by mouth every six hours as needed for anxiety, and an order dated 6/10/2024 for haloperidol (a psychotropic medication used to treat nervous, mental, or emotional disorders) 1 mg tablet, one tablet by mouth every four hours as needed for agitation, hallucinations, aggression. The orders had stop dates of indefinite.
Review of R25's EMAR revealed haloperidol 1 mg tablet was administered on 12/2/2024 at 2:48 am, 12/18/2024 at 5:37 pm, 10/4/2024 at 11:43 pm, and 10/21/2024 at 12:02 am. Further review revealed lorazepam 0.5 mg oral tablet was administered on 12/1/2024 at 11:16 am, 12/6/2024 at 9:46 am, 12/13/2024 at 9:39 am, 12/15/2024 at 7:20 pm, 12/17/2024 at 7:40 pm, 12/19/2024 at 9:36 am and 7:19 pm, 11/1/2024 at 7:20 pm, 11/4/2024 at 7:42 pm, 11/8/2024 at 10:37 am, 11/9/2024 at 11:47 am and 6:37 pm, 11/12/2024 at 6:51 pm, 11/20/2024 at 4:55 pm, 10/4/2024 at 11:44 pm, 10/7/2024 at 1:46 pm and 7:57 pm, 10/8/2024 at 7:13 pm, 10/9/2024 at 8:58 am, 10/10/2024 at 4:52 pm, 10/11/2024 at 9:55 am, 10/14/2024 7:29 pm, 10/21/2024 at 12:01 am, 9:41 am, 4:00 pm, and 9:48 pm, 10/24/2024 9:25 am, 10/25/2024 10:46 am, 10/26/2024 at 11:12 pm, and 10/31/2024 at 9:36 pm.
In an interview on 12/21/2024 at 3:30 pm, Registered Nurse (RN) DD verified R25's physician order dated 9/17/2024 for lorazepam 0.5 mg oral tablet, one tablet by mouth every six hours as needed for anxiety, and an order dated 6/10/2024 for haloperidol 1 mg tablet, one tablet by mouth every four hours as needed for agitation, hallucinations, aggression. She verified the orders did not have stop dates.
In an interview on 12/22/2024 at 12:55 pm, the Director of Nursing (DON) verified R25's physician order dated 9/17/2024 for lorazepam 0.5 mg oral tablet, one tablet by mouth every six hours as needed for anxiety, and an order dated 6/10/2024 for haloperidol 1 mg tablet, one tablet by mouth every four hours as needed for agitation, hallucinations, aggression. She verified the orders had stop dates of indefinite. She stated the physician was typically asked to review PRN psychotropic medications monthly and write a new prescription if he determined the need to continue the medication. She further stated PRN psychotropic medications should have a rational and definite stop date if the date was extended beyond 14 days.
3. Review of R238's Physician Orders revealed an order dated 12/12/2024 for alprazolam (a psychotropic medication used to treat anxiety and panic disorders) tablet 0.25 mg, give one tablet every eight hours PRN anxiety, with a stop date of indefinite.
Review of R238's EMAR revealed alprazolam 0.25 mg was administered on 12/12/2024 at 2:37 pm and 10:40 pm, 12/13/2024 at 6:40 am and 4:27 pm, 12/14/2024 at 10:25 pm, 12/15/2024 at 11:37 pm, 12/16/2024 at 8:37 am, 12/17/2024 at 6:00 pm, 12/18/2024 at 2:02 am and 10:02 am, 12/19/2024 at 1:39 am, 9:52 am, and 6:27 pm, and 12/20/2024 at 3:08 am and 11:09 am.
4. Review of R239's Physician Orders revealed an order for alprazolam oral tablet 0.25 mg, give tablet by mouth every 12 hours as needed for anxiety related to anxiety disorder. The start date was documented as 10/25/2024 and the stop date was documented as indefinite.
Review of R239's October 2024 EMAR revealed alprazolam 0.25 was documented as administered to R239 on 10/26/2024 at 3:06 pm, 10/27/2024 at 10:51 pm, 10/28/2024 at 8:56 pm, 10/29/2024 at 9:01 pm, 10/30/2024 at 10:53 am, and 10/31/2024 at 9:36 am and 9:13 pm.
Review of R239's November 2024 EMAR revealed alprazolam 0.25 mg was documented as administered to R239 on 11/1/2024 at 3:02 pm, 11/2/2024 at 4:48 am, 11/3/2024 at 9:47 pm, 11/5/2024 at 3:00 am and 6:18 pm, 11/6/2024 at 1:00 pm, 11/7/2024 at 7:57 am, 11/8/2024 at 6:35 am and 9:20 pm, 11/9/2024 at 10:23 am, 11/10/2024 at 1:07 am and 1:24 pm, 11/11/2024 at 3:15 am and 7:02 pm, 11/12/2024 at 7:47 pm, 11/14/2024 at 9:31 am and 9:31 pm, 11/15/2024 at 7:03 pm, 11/16/2024 at 9:20 am, 11/19/2024 at 6:44 pm, 11/21/2024 at 8:39 am and 8:44 pm, 11/23/2024 at 9:50 am, 11/24/2024 at 10:43 am, 11/25/2024 at 7:31 pm, 11/28/2024 at 9:28 am, and 11/29/2024 at 8:07 am.
Review of R239's December 2024 E-MAR revealed alprazolam 0.25 mg was documented as administered to R239 on 12/1/2024 at 12:00 pm, 12/2/2024 at 9:40 am, 12/4/2024 at 9:00 am, 12/8/2024 at 10:53 am, 12/9/2024 at 8:00 am and 8:03 pm, 12/10/2024 at 8:55 am and 7:29 pm, 12/12/2024 at 9:57 am and 10:02 pm, 12/14/2024 at 9:45 am, 12/15/2024 at 8:34 am, 12/16/2024 at 7:41 pm, 12/17/2024 at 8:00 am and 8:10 pm, 12/18/2024 at 1:23 pm, 12/19/2024 at 1:23 pm, and 12/20/2024 at 10:22 am.
In an interview on 12/22/2024 at 12:37 pm, the DON revealed the normal process was for the physician to review and rewrite all prescriptions for scheduled drugs monthly. She stated once the prescriptions were written, the new orders were entered into the EMR, and there was a place to input a stop date for each order. She further stated each prescription was written for a specific number of tablets and not the number of days the prescription was good for. She confirmed the physician did not write a stop date or a rationale for the medication continuing past 14 days. She confirmed that R238 and R239's orders for alprazolam had a stop date of indefinite.