Long-Term Care Survey Alert

Survey Management Tipster:

Mismanagement Of Narcotics Can Create A Survey Headache

Is your facility consistently performing these 2 quality checks?

Adequate oversight of narcotic medications can help you steer clear of problems with pharmacy services.

The facility needs to pay attention to storage of controlled substances, advises Chris Puri, JD, with Boult Cummings Conners & Berry PLC in Nashville, TN. Surveyors will probably place the most emphasis on Schedule 2 drugs. So "make sure you have adequate Schedule 2 narcotic medications to treat patients on an ongoing basis, including emergency PRN narcotics for pain."

"Also look at whether the facility checks its incoming stock properly before sticking it on the medication cart," counsels Puri. "Otherwise, you could have what appears to be missing controlled substances" that the pharmacy never delivered.

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