narcotic control in nursing home

[devilsnymph]

I am newly hired p/t as a supervising nurse at a nursing home in ontario canada. I am quite surprized that there is no shift count for the narcotics that are given. No real accountability other than the fact you sign for it on the MARS. Is it not a part of the narcotic control act that all narcotics must be acounted for in a 24 hr. period at least?

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[wsiab]

My experience has been that the nurse is responsible for counting and verifying the current count for narcotics prior to removing the med to pass it. The count can be signed off on a controlled substances sheet, or can be tracked by user ID in a pyxis system.

[LOPAIDNURSE]

YOU HAD BETTER START COUNTING AND QUICK. I HAVE BEEN IN FACILITIES THAT THERE HAD NOT BEEN A NARCOTIC COUNT DONE IN WEEKS! THEY WERE NOT PLEASED BUT I WAS ADAMANT AND THE COUNT WAS WAY OFF. I HAD THE DON COME TAKE CARE OF IT. I WAS NOT UNDER THE INVESTIGATION BECAUSE IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I'D BEEN THERE AND I INITIATED THE COUNT. COVER YOURSELF ALWAYS ESP. WITH THE DRUGS.

[OntRPN]

Hi I am in Ontario to and yes they should be but if it is a private run home no they are usually not counted from what I understand from others I have talked to

[This message has been edited by OntRPN (edited February 11, 2001).]