Medication Storage/tracking

Specialties Disabilities

Published

Specializes in Home Health, Med-Surg, Telemetry.

I just started as the nurse for a small DD agency (for both residential and day program). We have 60ish people coming to day program M-F and 35 in residential with a good deal of overlap between the two. My current concern is the storage and tracking of medications.

Right now we are only storing meds for 7-8 clients at a time (epi-pens/benadryl for a couple people with severe allergies, PRN inhalers, and a handful of controlled meds. I've put procedures into place to ensure that controlled meds are accounted for per state regs (2 signatures at the end of the shift), but I am looking for a storage solution to comply with the double locking needed for controlled meds (valium, ativan, and phenobarbital) and for general med storage.

Does anyone have suggestions for a cabinet/procedures to keep everything in order?

Edit: Also, suggestions for storage and tracking of expired and D/C meds (including the same controlled meds) would be appreciated.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in med/surg.

In a lockbox in a locked cabinet or locked room would solve your double locking problem. As far as regs for med disposal and tracking go, I'd check your state regs. for what they want.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Lockable Med storage boxes

Medication Storage for locking Drugs Narcotics in lockable boxes

You can get locking bed box that attaches to a cabinet at Wallmart---even a lock box/fire chest could be used behind a locked cabinet door:

Parent Units Child Safe Medicine Box

SentrySafe 1200 Fire Safe Chest

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment