Finding Description
**NOTE- TERMS IN BRACKETS HAVE BEEN EDITED TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY** Based on observations, staff interviews, and record review, the facility failed to have a medication error rate of less than 5% as evidenced by 3 medication errors out of 28 opportunities, resulting in a medication error rate of 10.7% for 1 of 3 residents (Resident #20) observed during medication pass.
The findings included:
1. Resident #20 was admitted to the facility on [DATE]. Her cumulative diagnoses included Parkinson's disease and atherosclerotic heart disease (a build-up of plaque in the arteries).
On 2/21/23 at 9:11 AM, Nurse #1 (an agency nurse) was observed as she prepared and administered 10 oral medications for administration to Resident #20. The medications included two - 25 milligram (mg) / 100 mg tablets of carbidopa/levodopa (an immediate release formulation of a medication indicated to treat Parkinson's disease). No carbidopa/levodopa Extended Release (ER) tablets were observed to have been pulled from the medication cart for administration to the resident.
A review of Resident #20's current physician's orders revealed her medications included the following, in part: one - 25 mg carbidopa / 100 mg levodopa tablet (immediate release formulation or IR) to be given by mouth four times a day for Parkinson's disease; and two - 25 mg carbidopa / 100 mg levodopa Extended Release (ER) tablets to be given 5 times a day for Parkinson's disease.
An interview was conducted with Nurse #2 (a staff nurse) on 2/21/23 at 10:01 AM. During the interview, inquiry was made with regards to the discrepancy observed between the physician's orders for carbidopa/levodopa and the medications administered to Resident #20. Nurse #2 reviewed the resident's electronic medical record (EMR) and reported Resident #20 should have received both the IR and ER formulations of carbidopa/levodopa, including one - 25 mg carbidopa / 100 mg levodopa IR tablet and two - 25 mg carbidopa / 100 mg levodopa ER tablets.
On 2/21/23 at 10:03 AM, Nurse #2 was accompanied as she approached the hall medication (med) cart where Nurse #1 was working. As an observation of the medication cards on the hall med cart was initiated, Nurse #1 stated, I didn't see an extended release [carbidopa/levodopa formulation] in here [referring to the med cart]. The observation conducted at that time revealed both the IR and ER formulations of carbidopa/levodopa were stored on the med cart. When the medication orders for Resident #20 were discussed, Nurse #1 reported she gave Resident #20 two carbidopa/levodopa ER tablets but missed giving the IR formulation of the medication to the resident. Upon sharing the observation made during the resident's medication pass, Nurse #1 again stated she was certain she gave two ER tablets of the carbidopa/levodopa but none of the immediate release tablets to Resident #20.
An interview was conducted with the facility's Interim Director of Nursing (DON) on 2/22/23 at 2:45 AM. During the interview, the concern(s) involving med administration observations for Resident #20 were discussed. The Interim DON stated she would expect nursing staff administering medications to observe the administration rights (referring to the right patient, the right drug, the right dose, the right route, and the right time).
2. Resident #20 was admitted to the facility on [DATE]. Her cumulative diagnoses included Parkinson's disease and atherosclerotic heart disease (a build-up of plaque in the arteries).
On 2/21/23 at 9:11 AM, Nurse #1 (an agency nurse) was observed as she prepared 10 oral medications for administration to Resident #20. The medications included one - 10 milliequivalent (mEq) Extended Release (ER) tablet of potassium chloride. Nurse #1 was observed as she placed all of the oral tablets into one of 3 small plastic pouches used for crushing medications. On 2/21/23 at 9:29 AM, the nurse was observed as she crushed 4 of the tablets together (including the ER potassium chloride tablet).
On 2/21/23 at 9:32 AM, a request was made for the nurse to stop prepping the medications for administration and to review the medication bubble pack card containing the potassium chloride ER tablets. The medication card had an auxiliary sticker placed on it by the dispensing pharmacy which indicated the medication should not be crushed or chewed. Upon review of the medication card, inquiry was made as to who the nurse could go to with questions about medication administration. Nurse #1 left the med cart to get a staff nurse. After she returned to the med cart, Nurse #2 joined her. Nurse #2 confirmed at that time the potassium chloride Extended Release tablet should not be crushed. Nurse #2 instructed Nurse #1 to re-pull the medications and to administer all of Resident #20's oral medications whole, stating the resident did not require her meds to be crushed. Nurse #1 re-pulled the medications as instructed and administered them to Resident #20 on 2/21/23 at 9:41 AM. The resident was observed to take her oral medications whole with water and without difficulty.
A review of Resident #20's current physician's orders revealed her medications included 10 mEq potassium chloride ER to be given as one tablet by mouth every day for hypokalemia (low potassium level in the blood).
According to Lexi-comp, a comprehensive electronic medication database, potassium chloride ER tablets should be swallowed whole; tablets should not be crushed, chewed, or sucked on.
An interview was conducted with the facility's Interim Director of Nursing (DON) on 2/22/23 at 2:45 AM. During the interview, the concern(s) involving the med administration observations for Resident #20 were discussed. The Interim DON stated the nursing staff should be aware of which medications could and could not be crushed when they administered meds to a resident.
3. Resident #20 was admitted to the facility on [DATE]. Her cumulative diagnoses included Parkinson's disease and atherosclerotic heart disease (a build-up of plaque in the arteries).
On 2/21/23 at 9:11 AM, Nurse #1 (an agency nurse) was observed as she prepared 10 oral medications for administration to Resident #20. The medications included one -81 milligram (mg) Delayed Release (DR) tablet of aspirin. Nurse #1 was observed as she placed all of the oral tablets (including the DR aspirin) into one of 3 small plastic pouches used for crushing medications. On 2/21/23 at 9:29 AM, the nurse was observed as she crushed 4 of the tablets together When asked if she was planning to crush all of the tablets placed into the small plastic pouches, she stated she was and reported all medications needed to be crushed for Resident #20.
On 2/21/23 at 9:32 AM, a request was made for the nurse to stop prepping the medications for administration and to review the medication bubble pack card containing the 81 mg DR aspirin tablets. The medication card had an auxiliary sticker placed on it by the dispensing pharmacy which indicated the medication should not be crushed or chewed. Upon review of the medication card, inquiry was made as to who the nurse could go to with questions about medication administration. Nurse #1 left the med cart to get a staff nurse. After she returned to the med cart, Nurse #2 joined her. Nurse #2 confirmed at that time the Delayed Release aspirin tablet should not be crushed. Nurse #2 instructed Nurse #1 to re-pull the medications and to administer all of Resident #20's oral medications whole, stating the resident did not require her meds to be crushed. Nurse #1 re-pulled the medications as instructed and administered them to Resident #20 on 2/21/23 at 9:41 AM. The resident was observed to take her oral medications whole with water and without difficulty.
A review of Resident #20's current physician's orders revealed her medications included 81 mg aspirin DR to be given as one tablet by mouth every day for coronary artery disease.
According to Lexi-comp, a comprehensive electronic medication database, aspirin DR tablets should be swallowed whole; tablets should not be cut, crushed, or chewed.
An interview was conducted with the facility's Interim Director of Nursing (DON) on 2/22/23 at 2:45 AM. During the interview, the concern(s) involving the med administration observations for Resident #20 were discussed. The Interim DON stated the nursing staff should be aware of which medications could and could not be crushed when they administered meds to a resident.