HospitalInspections.org

Based on observations and interviews, it was determined that the hospital did not ensure that all medications found in the emergency department crash cart were within the manufacturers' printed expiration dates.

Findings include:

1. On 7/11/2016, at 10:00 A.M., an inventory of all medications in the emergency room crash cart was taken. There was one, 1000 milliliter (ml), intravenous bag of Dopamine with an expiration date of november 2014. There were two, 1000 ml bags of Sodium Chloride 2meq/ml with expiration dates of July 2015. There were two, 1000 ml bags of Potassium Chloride with expiration dates of September 2015. There was a vial of Solu-Medrol with and expiration date of May 2015. There were two vials of Lidocaine 1% with an expiration date of August 2015. There was a 1000 ml bag of Lactated Ringers with a expiration date of April 2016.

On 7/11/2016, at 10:00 A.M., the Chief Clinical Officer (CCO) observed the expired medications in the crash cart. The CCO agreed that the medications were expired and should not have been in the crash cart.