Service Recipient Medication Administration Requirements

(1) When supervising the self-administration of medication, the facility must consider the service recipient’s self-management skills and ability. (2) The facility must ensure that prescription medications are taken only by service recipients for whom they are prescribed and in accordance with the directions of a qualified prescriber. (3) Discontinued and outdated medication and containers with worn, illegible, or missing labels must be disposed. (4) All medication errors, drug reactions, or suspected inappropriate medication, use must be reported to the Medical Director of the facility who will report to the prescriber, if known. (5) Evidence of the current prescription of each medication taken by a service recipient must be maintained by the facility. (6) All direct service staff must be trained about medications used by the service recipient. This training must include information about the purpose and function of the medications, their major side effects and contraindications, and ways to recognize signs that medication is not being taken as prescribed or is ineffective for its prescribed purpose. (7) Staff must have access to medications at all times. (8) Schedule II drugs must be stored in a locked container within a locked compartment at all times and be accessible only to staff in charge of administering medication. (9) Staff must document each time a service recipient self-administers medication or refuses a medication. This documentation must include the date, time, medication name, and dosage, as well as over-the-counter medication. This documentation must be made on the medication log sheet in the service recipient’s record. (10) For any service recipient incapable of self-administration, all medications must be administered by personnel licensed to administer medication. (11) All medications and other medical preparations intended for internal or external use must be stored in sanitary and secure medicine cabinets or drug rooms. Such cabinet or drug rooms must be kept securely locked when not in use and the key must be in the possession of the supervising nurse or other authorized staff. Locks in doors to medicine cabinets and drug rooms must be such that they require an action on the part of staff to lock and unlock.