HospitalInspections.org

Based on observation and interview, the facility failed to ensure that licensed staff nurses administered medication that met professional standards of quality for 1(#5) of 9 patients.

The findings include:

Observation of medication pass with a staff nurse on 4 West for Patient #5 on 8/25/10 at 8:36 am revealed that the nurse drew up Sandostatin 0.2 mg to administer subcutaneously. The nurse washed her hands, donned gloves and positioned herself at the patient's right side and cleaned the patient's lower abdominal area in preparation for the subcutaneous injection.

As the nurse injected the patient's abdomen, the patient screamed out. The nurse injected the medication and asked the patient if she should stop. The patient nodded that she should stop. As the nurse withdrew the needle from the patient, it was observed that the needle appeared too long to use for a subcutaneous injection. The nurse placed the safety cap on the needle and on closer inspection it was too long.
Interview with the Staff Nurse and the Director of Medical-Surgical Nursing on 8/25/10 at 11:49am revealed that the staff nurse grabbed the needle out of the bin with the 25 gauge needles. The staff nurse was asked why she had not stopped when she went to inject the patient. She stated that she probably should have.