Sec.19a-495-6k. Drugs and biological products

(a) The interdisciplinary team shall confer with a licensed pharmacist or independent practitioner with education and training in drug management, who is an employee of or has a written agreement with the licensee, to ensure that drugs and biological products meet the patient's needs on a twenty-four hour basis.

(b) Only a licensed independent practitioner shall order drugs and biological products for the patient, in accordance with the patient centered plan of care.

(1) The written or electronic order shall only be given to a registered nurse, advanced practice registered nurse, physician assistant, pharmacist, or physician; and

(2) If the drug order is verbal, the registered nurse, advanced practice registered nurse, pharmacist, or physician receiving the order shall record, read back and sign it immediately, and have the prescribing person sign the order in accordance with state and federal regulations and statutes.

(c) The licensee shall ensure that:

(1) Drugs and biological products are obtained from community or institutional pharmacies or establish its own institutional pharmacy licensed by the Department of Consumer Protection in accordance with section 20-594of the Connecticut General Statutes;

(2) A written policy is in place that promotes dispensing accuracy;

(3) Current and accurate records of the receipt and disposition of all controlled drugs are maintained; and

(4) Drugs and biological products are only administered to patients by a licensed nurse, physician's assistant, or licensed independent practitioner consistent with accepted standards of practice and applicable law.

(d) Drugs and biological products shall be labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional practice and shall include appropriate usage and cautionary instructions, as well as an expiration date.

(e) Drugs and biological products shall be stored in a secure area. Controlled drugs listed in Schedules II, III, IV, and V of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1976 shall be stored in locked compartments within such secure storage areas. Only personnel authorized to administer controlled drugs shall have access to the locked areas.

(f) Controlled drugs shall be disposed of in compliance with the hospice inpatient facility policy and in accordance with state and federal requirements.

(g) Discrepancies in the acquisition, storage, dispensing, administration, disposal, or return of controlled drugs shall be investigated immediately by the pharmacist and administrator, and where required, reported to the appropriate state authority. A written account of the investigation shall be made available to state and federal officials as required by law.

(Effective July 31, 2012)