Wasting Witnesses?

[learningandsearching]

Hello everyone! I am not an RN, but rather a CNA (certified nursing assistant) and a HUC (Health Unit Coordinator).

My question for you all is this....If you are in a hospital, who is authorized to witness a controlled substance waste? I have heard some places allow their CNAs and/or HUCs to witness. If this applies to your hospital, would you be willing to tell me what hospital/State do you live in? would you be willing to share the policy with me?

I know a lot of this depends on state regulations, as federal regulations only state you must have two witnesses, it doesn't necessarily state two RNs or pharmacist.

We are trying to implement a new policy at the hospital I work at in Idaho that allows a HUC or CNA to waste with the RN, since it is not required for the witness to handle the drugs, but to simply watch the right dosage be drawn and the rest put into the waste receptacle.

A fellow HUC went to a conference and she was told of other hospitals on the East Coast that had this policy, she just didn't write down which ones.

Thank you for your time.

[Aunt Slappy]

When I worked inpatient hospice as a CNA, sometimes on nights with low census it would be just me and the RN. I witnessed wastes because there was no one else to do it. Company policy allowed it and as far as I know the BON has not disallowed it. As you say, the witness doesn't handle the drugs, they just watch and sign off that they saw the drugs wasted. I live in Arizona.

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

When I worked in assisted living, I usually wasted discontinued narcotics with one of the resident care coordinators, neither of whom was licensed or even certified as a CNA. There was no one else to do it in that setting. Med aides also witnessed wastes with each other when I wasn't in the building and signed off on them as if they were licensed personnel. The DEA has no objection to things being done this way; it's individual states and facilities that decide policy.

[Davey Do]

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[twinmommy+2, ADN, BSN, MSN]

In my hospital the witness has to be licensed and able to access the omnicell.

[Matthew RN, MSN]

Who can do what is really going to depend on regulations and then policies in your hospital. In my hospital licensed nurses can waste, pharmacists can waste, and pharmacy techs can waste (not licensed, but trained in it/demonstrated competency). Could they train HUCs or CNAs to do it and would I be OK with that, yes if they made it policy, gave them training, had them demonstrate competency.

Questions I would ask myself before doing something new:

1) Have I been trained in it? (documented training)

2) Have I demonstrated competency? (documented competency)

3) Is it within my scope? (or not against my scope)

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

In my facility (located in CA) it has to be a licensed nurse or licensed psych tech (licensed by the BVNPT) to witness a controlled substance waste.

That being said, I imagine the policy may vary between organizations.

[ap_NRN]

Are you at magic or treasure valley? I know their system well, they are the only ones that use the term "HUC" anymore. It is interesting to me that they are attempting to change policies like these when they really should focus on their pay scale, which is not at all competitive. I've since left the state for greener pastures. I have no advice, just good to hear from another one of us in the trenches:)