counting controleds when your the only nurse?

bonesrn · Mar 24, 2006

I see no way that you can keep a legal count of narc with only one licensed staff?? Are you the only licensed staff memeber there in a 24 hr period? What does the policy say? Where do you get you meds from? If from a pharmacy then maybe a pharmacist could count with you? How often do you count? Thank God for pyxis! Good Luck.

Tiggur · Mar 24, 2006

Im it in the program that we have there are 3 other nurse with their own progarms and we dont see each othe on a daily basis ... my meds are delivered from a local pharmacy such as a cvs .... i count when they come in and each time i have to open them ...and then once a month one of the other nurse counts with me our police does not fit the situation thats why i have to coem up with one that will make every one happy some how before we get inspected by state etc

Editorial Team / Admin · Mar 24, 2006

hello, tiggur,

i have a question. are you a rural health clinic?

CharlieRN · Mar 25, 2006

I am the only nurse in a small rural communty psyc setting on out pt setting ... i need to come up with a policy that will cover my tale i have another nurse once a month count with me. but i dont have one every time im into my countables but i do keep count any ideas or suggestions ?

Since you are writing the policy you have a lot of power here. Obviously you can't have another nurse count with you. There is no other nurse. But it would be good to count the abusable meds on a regular basis. We usually have liscened personel do this but really any literate person can count. I would think that you could define it in your policy that the RN will count the abusable medications, accompanied by a specified, non licensed, person who will not handle the meds, but will verify the count. That person signs as a witness to the count. On a regular basis, when a liscenced person is available, that person will verify the count. The legal principal involved is "doing the best you can under the circumstances." I would write it up as policy and then present it to your local nursing board for approval.

suzanne4, RN · Mar 25, 2006

The policy does not need approval from the BON, it needs to be from your state Board of Pharmacy. They are the ones that set the regulations over controlled substances.

Best suggestion would be to contact them for their advice. Each state is different.

Tiggur · Mar 30, 2006

I work as an out pt nurse in a rural area, for mental health ... im the only nurse in this program....and to reply to one of the other ,,,,,so the state pharmacy board would be the one that would be able to help me come up with a way that would be acceptable you think . thank you all so much ,,,,

Editorial Team / Admin · Mar 30, 2006

Hello again.

What I mean is ...........is your clinic designated as a rural health clinic?

Thunderwolf, MSN, RN · Mar 31, 2006

The State Board of Pharmacy runs the whole show. Start there.